andersonville-第24部分

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fight　according　to　the　rules　of　the　Prize　Ring；　which　was　to　come　off
between　two　professional　pugilists。　　These　were　a　couple　of　bounty…
jumpers　who　had　some　little　reputation　in　New　York　sporting　circles；
under　the　names　of　the　〃Staleybridge　Chicken〃　and　the　〃Haarlem　Infant。〃

On　the　way　from　Richmond　a　cast…iron　skillet；　or　spider；　had　been　stolen
by　the　crowd　from　the　Rebels。　　It　was　a　small　affair；　holding　a　half
gallon；　and　worth　to…day　about　fifty　cents。　　In　Andersonville　its　worth
was　literally　above　rubies。　　Two　men　belonging　to　different　messes　each
claimed　the　ownership　of　the　utensil；　on　the　ground　of　being　most　active
in　securing　it。　　Their　claims　were　strenuously　supported　by　their
respective　messes；　at　the　heads　of　which　were　the　aforesaid　Infant　and
Chicken。　　A　great　deal　of　strong　talk；　and　several　indecisive　knock…downs
resulted　in　an　agreement　to　settle　the　matter　by　wager　of　battle　between
the　Infant　and　Chicken。

When　we　arrived　a　twenty…four　foot　ring　had　been　prepared　by　drawing　a
deep　mark　in　the　sand。　　In　diagonally　opposite　corners　of　these　the
seconds　were　kneeling　on　one　knee　and　supporting　their　principals　on　the
other　by　their　sides　they　had　little　vessels　of　water；　and　bundles　of
rags　to　answer　for　sponges。　　Another　corner　was　occupied　by　the　umpire；
a　foul…mouthed；　loud…tongued　Tombs　shyster；　named　Pete　Bradley。　　A　long…
bodied；　short…legged　hoodlum；　nick…named　〃Heenan；〃　armed　with　a　club；
acted　as　ring　keeper；　and　〃belted〃　back；　remorselessly；　any　of　the
spectators　who　crowded　over　the　line。　　Did　he　see　a　foot　obtruding　itself
so　much　as　an　inch　over　the　mark　in　the　sandand　the　pressure　from　the
crowd　behind　was　so　great　that　it　was　difficult　for　the　front　fellows　to
keep　off　the　linehis　heavy　club　and　a　blasting　curse　would　fall　upon
the　offender　simultaneously。

Every　effort　was　made　to　have　all　things　conform　as　nearly　as　possible　to
the　recognized　practices　of　the　〃London　Prize　Ring。〃

At　Bradley's　call　of　〃Time！〃　the　principals　would　rise　from　their
seconds'　knees；　advance　briskly　to　the　scratch　across　the　center　of　the
ring；　and　spar　away　sharply　for　a　little　time；　until　one　got　in　a　blow
that　sent　the　other　to　the　ground；　where　he　would　lie　until　his　second
picked　him　up；　carried　him　back；　washed　his　face　off；　and　gave　him　a
drink。　　He　then　rested　until　the　next　call　of　time。

This　sort　of　performance　went　on　for　an　hour　or　more；　with　the　knockdowns
and　other　casualities　pretty　evenly　divided　between　the　two。　　Then　it
became　apparent　that　the　Infant　was　getting　more　than　he　had　storage　room
for。　　His　interest　in　the　skillet　was　evidently　abating；　the　leering　grin
he　wore　upon　his　face　during　the　early　part　of　the　engagement　had
disappeared　long　ago；　as　the　successive　〃hot　ones〃　which　the　Chicken　had
succeeded　in　planting　upon　his　mouth；　put　it　out　of　his　power　to　〃smile
and　smile；〃　〃e'en　though　he　might　still　be　a　villain。〃　　He　began　coming
up　to　the　scratch　as　sluggishly　as　a　hired　man　starting　out　for　his　day's
work；　and　finally　he　did　not　come　up　at　all。　　A　bunch　of　blood　soaked
rags　was　tossed　into　the　air　from　his　corner；　and　Bradley　declared　the
Chicken　to　be　the　victor；　amid　enthusiastic　cheers　from　the　crowd。

We　voted　the　thing　rather　tame。　　In　the　whole　hour　and　a…half　there　was
not　so　much　savage　fighting；　not　so　much　damage　done；　as　a　couple　of
earnest；　but　unscientific　men；　who　have　no　time　to　waste；　will　frequently
crowd　into　an　impromptu　affair　not　exceeding　five　minutes　in　duration。

Our　next　visit　to　the　N'Yaarkers　was　on　a　different　errand。　　The　moment
they　arrived　in　camp　we　began　to　be　annoyed　by　their　depredations。
Blanketsthe　sole　protection　of　menwould　be　snatched　off　as　they　slept
at　night。　　Articles　of　clothing　and　cooking　utensils　would　go　the　same
way；　and　occasionally　a　man　would　be　robbed　in　open　daylight。　　All　these；
it　was　believed；　with　good　reason；　were　the　work　of　the　N'Yaarkers；　and
the　stolen　things　were　conveyed　to　their　camp。　　Occasionally　depredators
would　be　caught　and　beaten；　but　they　would　give　a　signal　which　would
bring　to　their　assistance　the　whole　body　of　N'Yaarkers；　and　turn　the
tables　on　their　assailants。

We　had　in　our　squad　a　little　watchmaker　named　Dan　Martin；　of　the　Eighth
New　York　Infantry。　　Other　boys　let　him　take　their　watches　to　tinker　up；
so　as　to　make　a　show　of　running；　and　be　available　for　trading　to　the
guards。

One　day　Martin　was　at　the　creek；　when　a　N'Yaarker　asked　him　to　let　him
look　at　a　watch。　　Martin　incautiously　did　so；　when　the　N'Yaarker　snatched
it　and　sped　away　to　the　camp　of　his　crowd。　　Martin　ran　back　to　us　and
told　his　story。　　This　was　the　last　feather　which　was　to　break　the　camel's
back　of　our　patience。　　Peter　Bates；　of　the　Third　Michigan；　the　Sergeant
of　our　squad；　had　considerable　confidence　in　his　muscular　ability。
He　flamed　up　into　mighty　wrath；　and　swore　a　sulphurous　oath　that　we　would
get　that　watch　back；　whereupon　about　two　hundred　of　us　avowed　our
willingness　to　help　reclaim　it。

Each　of　us　providing　ourselves　with　a　club；　we　started　on　our　errand。
The　rest　of　the　campabout　four　thousandgathered　on　the　hillside　to
watch　us。　　We　thought　they　might　have　sent　us　some　assistance；　as　it　was
about　as　much　their　fight　as　ours；　but　they　did　not；　and　we　were　too
proud　to　ask　it。　　The　crossing　of　the　swamp　was　quite　difficult。　　Only
one　could　go　over　at　a　time；　and　he　very　slowly。　　The　N'Yaarkers
understood　that　trouble　was　pending；　and　they　began　mustering　to　receive
us。　　From　the　way　they　turned　out　it　was　evident　that　we　should　have　come
over　with　three　hundred　instead　of　two　hundred；　but　it　was　too　late　then
to　alter　the　program。　　As　we　came　up　a　stalwart　Irishman　stepped　out　and
asked　us　what　we　wanted。

Bates　replied：　〃We　have　come　over　to　get　a　watch　that　one　of　your　fellows
took　from　one　of　ours；　and　by　…　we're　going　to　have　it。〃

The　Irishman's　reply　was　equally　explicit　though　not　strictly　logical　in
construction。　　Said　he：　〃We　havn't　got　your　watch；　and　be　ye　can't　have
it。〃

This　joined　the　issue　just　as　fairly　as　if　it　had　been　done　by　all　the
documentary　formula　that　passed　between　Turkey　and　Russia　prior　to　the
late　war。　　Bates　and　the　Irishman　then　exchanged　very　derogatory　opinions
of　each　other；　and　began　striking　with　their　clubs。　　The　rest　of　us　took
this　as　our　cue；　and　each；　selecting　as　small　a　N'Yaarker　as　we　could
readily　find；　sailed　in。

There　is　a　very　expressive　bit　of　slang　coming　into　general　use　in　the
West；　which　speaks　of　a　man　〃biting　off　more　than　he　can　chew。〃

That　is　what　we　had　done。　　We　had　taken　a　contract　that　we　should　have
divided；　and　sub…let　the　bigger　half。　　Two　minutes　after　the　engagement
became　general　there　was　no　doubt　that　we　would　have　been　much　better　off
if　we　had　staid　on　our　own　side　of　the　creek。　　The　watch　was　a　very　poor
one；　anyhow。　　We　thought　we　would　just　say　good　day　to　our　N'Yaark
friends；　and　return　home　hastily。　　But　they　declined　to　be　left　so
precipitately。　　They　wanted　to　stay　with　us　awhile。　　It　was　lots　of　fun
for　them；　and　for　the；　four　thousand　yelling　spectators　on　the　opposite
hill；　who　were　greatly　enjoying　our　discomfiture。　　There　was　hardly
enough　of　the　amusement　to　go　clear　around；　however；　and　it　all　fell
short　just　before　it　reached　us。　　We　earnestly　wished　that　some　of　the
boys　would　come　over　and　help　us　let　go　of　the　N'Yaarkers；　but　they　were
enjoying　the　thing　too　much　to　interfere。

We　were　driven　down　the　hill；　pell…mell；　with　the　N'Yaarkers　pursuing
hotly　with　yell　and　blow。　　At　the　swamp　we　tried　to　make　a　stand　to
secure　our　passage　across；　but　it　was　only　partially　successful。　　Very
few　got　back　without　some　severe　hurts；　and　many　received　blows　that
greatly　hastened　their　deaths。

After　this　the　N'Yaarkers　became　bolder　in　their　robberies；　and　more
arrogant　in　their　demeanor　than　ever；　and　we　had　the　poor　revenge　upon
those　who　would　not　assist　us；　of　seeing　a　reign　of　terror　inaugurated
over　the　whole　camp。




CHAPTER　XXI

DIMINISHING　RATIONSA　DEADLY　COLD　RAINHOVERING　OVER　PITCH　PINE　FIRES
INCREASE　ON　MORTALITYA　THEORY　OF　HEALTH。

The　rations　diminished　perceptibly　day　by　day。　　When　we　first　entered　we
each　received　something　over　a　quart　of　tolerably　good　meal；　a　sweet
potato；　a　piece　of　meat　about　the　size　of　one's　two　fingers；　and
occasionally　a　spoonful　of　salt。　　First　the　salt　disappeared。　　Then　the
sweet　potato　took　unto　itself　wings　and　flew　away；　never　to　return。
An　attempt　was　ostensibly　made　to　issue　us　cow…peas　instead；　and　the
first　issue　was　only　a　quart　to　a　detachment　of　two　hundred　and　seventy
men。　　This　has　two…thirds　of　a　pint　to　each　squad　of　ninety；　and　made　but
a　few　spoonfuls　for　each　of　the　four　messes　in　the　squad。　　When　it　came
to　dividing　among　the　men；　the　beans　had　to　be　counted。　　Nobody　received
enough　to　pay　for　cooking；　and　we　were　at　a　loss　what　to　do　until
somebody　suggested　that　we　play　poker　for　them。　　This　met　general
acceptance；　and　after　that；　as　long　as　beans　were　drawn；　a　large　portion
of　the　day　was　spent　in　absorbing　games　of　〃bluff　〃　and　〃draw；〃　at　a　bean
〃ante；〃　and　no　〃limit。〃

After　a　number　of　hours'　diligent　playing；　some　luck