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Duelling

Duelling image
Parent Issue
Day
11
Month
December
Year
1847
Copyright
Public Domain
OCR Text

Trace the hisiory of a duel. A challenge passé?. VVha! is the first slep vvhich follow?, ns a general rule? - That the parties put themselves under immediate training. They get pistols. - Friends go out with them; lliey take a saplingas a mark; they fire at that, until they can hit t easily - until they are considered ' a good or su re shol.' The opponents do not meet each other in the glow of passion, or ere the blood has cooled, and seltle tlieir differences atonce. The crack of the pistola is nol thr immediate consequence of the insult oflered or the njury done. But deliberately they go to work, and work hard and constantly, until they ccn rim a young tree no bigger round than a inan's thumb. When this is accomplislied they have taken the first sten. The next i, to occus!o;n tlie nerves to the shock of firing. A man may fire well when he is shooting nlone! But the crack of r. gun, -;liot uvenoiher, may so startle liinn as to drive him wide of the Ihe mark. To 1 h is craclc hc must be thorouglily accustomcd. The first siep is, consequently, lo use cork balls in the practice. The ground is measured; mock seconds are put in proper plnces, n mock opponent stands opposiie; - the word is given, and they fire. This is keptup for days. It is kept up until the cool observer, orthe experienced trainer,and the parties themselves, know that tlie eye and ear are familiary accustomed to every movement whicli wil! be made on the field of blood. But as thisbrncing the nerves, is an allimportant maller, anollier course s resoried to, if ihe parlies waver at all. Indeed it is rurely omitied by regular duellists. Four or five friends stand around the parties; sotne in front of him : as the word is given, areyou ready - prepare - fire - they all blaze away, and generally befare he shoots. This is continned till ihe paitiescan aim as well amid the confusión and noise as if ihey were alone. Somelimes, when fears are entained, that the nerves of the parlies are not steady, muskets, or heavily cliarged gunsare fired in '.heir faces - and firei) unlil they are entirely unconcerned and firm. The physicnl man is thus trainod to meet the emergency, trained to blunt - tJ dcaden his sensibilities - so that he may moresurely tako the life of another, and save his own ! When thus piepared, the parties meet And now comes an opportunity for the display of cunning and trick. First, there isa good deal in chote of postion. The sun may aflect the sight at one point; a tree may be near, soa to give line te the pislol; the ground may be slighllyirising, and if so the uppermost will be apt toovershoot - these, and twenty ollier important, or malenal advantages, are to be examined into by seconds, and lnrned to the best account by their principáis. Second, ihere is much in giving the word. A principal gets accusíomed to lus seconds voice - its pauses - the lengtli of ihem - and knows, after long practice, exactly what lo do. For inslance. One second is slow, another fast; or one begins deliberately, and quickens os he goes onjifthe party gots his own secono,he has an advantage equn] somelimes to half, and at others, to n full count. - This any one may roadily perceive by pronouncing the usual command - Are you ready - preparo - fire. One, two, three - in different tones, and whh slower or quicker movement. Third, there is a good deal in the dress. Every object; sueh as a button, a pin, or any thing which tnakes a conirast, is carefully removed. The uual dress for ihe duellist is a large lighl morning wrapper, mnde as near the color ofihe earth ns may be. This is starched. - Thus, the ndversary cannot fiix sight upon a particular spot, and, aa it bags out, he is liable to mislake the true posilion of the hody. And íhen thi parties are drilled to put the body in as small a compass ns posslble. so as to guard the vitnl parts as far t can be done. ir neilher psrty is hurt, nfier firing, Ihey mnlceup, and have a laugh over it. Ifone falls, ihe other escapes as if lie knew he had dnne a felón deed. Tliis is a brief outüne of tliis honorable prnctice! The reader lins in the details given - more or less true ofall Souí'iern duelling - a picture of the coui'se which honorable men pursue in endeavoring to s!ay each other! Could any thing, in self, be moredegradingor contemptible? Ís there any practice, wenk or vain,more i riclily deserving the ridiculo and scorn of brave men. It isa map of human weakness, nnd meanness - an insult to every manly feeling, and roligious principie, and shoulH be hooted out ofcivilized society as the foul and irrelicious

Article

Subjects
Signal of Liberty
Old News