hick lattice
work. From behind this, the ladies of Tippoo's harem viewed the
sports.

These began with a contest of fighting rams. The animals were placed
some fifty yards apart. As soon as they saw each other, both showed
extreme anger, uttering notes of defiance. Then they began to move
towards each other, at first slowly, but increasing in speed until,
when within a few yards of one another, each took a spring, meeting in
mid air, forehead to forehead, with a crash that could be heard far
away. Both fell back, and stood for a moment shaking their heads, as
if half stupefied with the blow. Then they backed two steps, and
hurled themselves at each other again. After this had been repeated
once or twice, they locked forehead to forehead, and each strove to
push the other back.

For some time the struggle continued on equal terms. Then the weaker
began to give way, and was pushed back, step by step, until its
strength failed altogether, and it was pushed over on to the ground,
when the attendants at once interfered and separated them.

Some thirty pairs of rams fought, the affair being, to Dick, extremely
monotonous. The natives, however, took great interest in the contests,
wagering freely on the issues, shouting loudly to the combatants, and
raising triumphant cries when one was adjudged victor.

Then elephants were brought in; but the struggle between these was
even tamer than between the rams. They pushed each other with their
foreheads until one gave way, when the other would follow it, beating
it with its trunk, and occasionally shoving it.

When this sport was over, two parties of men entered the arena, amid a
shout of satisfaction from the crowd. After prostrating themselves
before Tippoo, they took up their ground facing each other. Each man
had, on his right hand, four steel claws fixed to the knuckles.
Approaching each other cautiously they threw, with their left hands,
the garlands of flowers they wore round their necks, into the faces of
their opponents, trying to take advantage of the moment to strike a
blow, or to obtain a grip. Each blow laid open the flesh as by a
tiger's claws. The great object was to gain a grip, no matter where,
which would completely disable the opponent, and render him incapable
of defending himself. When this was done, the combat between that pair
came to an end.

After the ghetties, as these men were named, had retired, a buffalo
was matched against a tiger. The latter was