their training and various trials. The ground is dug knee deep, and
forms a soft, good holding stand. I have often looked on at this
evening practice, and it would astonish a stranger, who cannot
understand strength, endurance, and activity being attributed to a
'mere nigger,' to see the severe training these young lads impose upon
themselves. They leap into the air, and suddenly assume a sitting
position, then leap up again and squat down with a force that would
seem to jerk every bone in their bodies out of its place; this gets up
the muscles of the thighs. Some lie down at full length, only touching
the ground with the extreme tips of their toes, their arms doubled up
under them, and sustaining the full weight of the body on the extended
palms of the hands. They then sway themselves backwards and forwards
to their full length, never shifting hand or toe, till they are bathed
in perspiration; they keep up a uniform steady backward and forward
movement, so as to develop the muscles of the arms, chest, and back.
They practice leaping, running, and lifting weights. Some standing at
their full height, brace up the muscles of the shoulder and upper arm,
and then leaping up, allow themselves to fall to earth on the tensely
strung muscles of the shoulder. This severe exercise gets the muscles
into perfect form, and few, very few indeed of our untrained youths,
could cope in a dead lock, or fierce struggle, with a good village
Hindoo or Mussulman in active training, and having any knowledge of
the tricks of the wrestling school. No hitting is allowed. The Hindoo
system of wrestling is the perfection of science and skill; mere dead
weight of course will always tell in a close grip, but the catches,
the holds, the twists and dodges that are practised, allow for the
fullest development of cultivated skill, as against mere brute force.
The system is purely a scientific one. The fundamental rule is 'catch
where you can,' only you must not clutch the hair or strike with the
fists.

The loins are tightly girt with a long waist-belt or _kummerbund_ of
cloth, which, passed repeatedly between the limbs and round the loins,
sufficiently braces up and protects that part of the body. In some
matches you are not allowed to clutch this waist cloth or belt, in
some villages it is allowed; the custom varies in various places, but
what is a fair grip, and what is not, is always made known before the
competitors engage. A twist, or grip, or dod