bbled off with the palm of victory.

The most savage and revolting contest which I witnessed was a "rough and
tumble" fight between two Mississippi boatmen. One was a young man,
of slight frame, and rather prepossessing appearance; the other was a
burly, broad-shouldered ruffian from Tennessee. The quarrel originated
in a gaming house, over a pack of cards, and the parties adjourned to
the street to settle the matter in regular style. But few words were
interchanged. They grasped each other firmly by the waist, and after a
severe struggle for the mastery, both fell heavily to the earth, when
the real battle commenced. In a close, but not loving embrace, they
rolled over and over again. No blows were given; they seemed to be
clutching at each other's faces, but their motions were so quick,
violent, and spasmodic that I could not see how their hands were
occupied. The struggle was soon over; the Kentuckian released himself
from the relaxed grasp of his prostrate antagonist, and sprang to his
feet. He looked around on the spectators with a smile of triumph, then
entered the miniature Pandemonium, apparently without having received
injury. His vanquished opponent was assisted to his feet. He was
groaning, quivering in every limb, and manifesting symptoms of
insufferable agony. I pressed forward, eager to ascertain what injury
he had received in this strangely conducted combat, when, to my great
horror, I saw the blood streaming from his cheeks, and shuddered as
I witnessed other and unmistakable proofs of a successful attempt at
gouging.

Nor were these pugnacious propensities, which seemed epidemical,
confined to the lowest classes in society. They were manifested by those
who moved in a higher sphere, and who, looking with contempt on vulgar
fisticuffs and gouging, settled their difficulties satisfactorily
according to the established rules of the DUELLO with sword, pistol,
or rifle. Hostile meetings on the levee, below the city, where the
population was sparse, and no impertinent interruptions could be
apprehended, were frequent. Indeed, the intelligence, some pleasant
morning, that a duel had just been fought, and one of the parties lamed
in the sword arm, or scientifically run through the body with a small
sword, or bored through the cranium with a pistol-bullet, excited little
attention or remark, excepting among the friends and relatives of the
parties.

One duel, however, was fought while I was in New Orleans, wh