BRILLIANT SWORDSMANSHIP.

New Zealand Tablet, Volume IV, Issue 172, 14 July 1876, Page 9

BRILLIANT SWORDSMANSHIP.

Describing some sports that took place before the Prince of Wales at Delhi, a correspondent writes- Three sticks, duly prepated, had been, driven into the ground, and on the top of these three limes, none of hem larger than a respectable pigeon's egg, had been placed. At a distance of three hundred or four hundred yards, a body of swordsmen had been collected, and these, native and English, now waited to try their skill. No mean trial was that to which they were invited. It was simply this— to ride four hundred yards at a gallop, sword in hand, and to cut the three limes in halves as they passed the sticks with a sword. The first man was a trooper of the 11th Hussars ; hia name was Jones. He carried the ordinary cavalry sabre of the service.

As he came on I noticed that he leaned very much on the right stirrup, with his head lower than the pommel of his saddle. His sword arm was free, and the weapon loosely held. As he came by, the first lemon fell in halves, the second was clipped of its rind, and the third was cut in the middle by a powerful blow, that showed Mr. Jones to be one of the keenest swordsmen living. Three such strokes in less than seventy yards were not easy to deliver. Then there came another hussar of the same regiment, carrying a native sword, curved but sharp. To him the first and second lemon fell, but the third was untouched as he galloped by. A third Englishman came and missed all three, overthrowing, however, vwo of the stands as he swept on. Then a fourth rode up, and rivalled the feat of Mr. Jones, cutting all three lemons with the ease of a man who was aimingat a world rather than at such a tiny mark. In this way the trial of skill proceeded ; three more Englishmen achieved the feat, but the rest had less success. Then came the native swordsmen dashing along at furious rate, one after another. They, too, were very successful, four of them, as against five Englishmen, clipping the limes in half. A neater feat of horsemanship could not be imagined ; Cossacks of the Don would have shuddered to see these Bikh horsemen dash along the plain. The second trial ended no better for the natives ; the English carried off the prize, and even Punjabees and Sikhs shouted applause, so great was the feat these soldiers achieved.