A TARTAR DUEL.

Patea Mail, Volume IX, Issue 1118, 28 November 1883, Page 3

A TARTAR DUEL.

The ‘ Nhwottfr\n a recent' issue states that the “ forehead fight,” n brutal combat inherited drom the old Turks, still survives in some districts among the Tartars pf the Crimea; A duel of kindltook place time ago in a Crimean village. The report of it is given by a physician who was called to attend to the defeated combatant. The, two foes take theirfland at a measured distance from each other with their heads bent forward ; then, at a given signal, they rush at one another, butting forehead against forehead, like two goats. The remainder of the duel is.. fought wholly with - the forehead ; neither blows nor kicks are permitted, as the man who uses any weapon except his forehead is disgraced. In the recent case Mood streamed from the foreheads of both the semi-savages; nevertheless they continued butting at each; other .with ferocious passion, until at length one of them fell exhausted to the earth. Ho gathered up all his remaining strength to draw his knife from his girdle, and with one determined stroke he then cut a wide gash across his throat. The physician states that the act of suicide on the part of the beaten man is to be regarded as a direct consequence of the injury done to the brain by the fearful concussions of the fight.