A DUELLIST'S EXPERIENCE.

New Zealand Herald, Volume XVIII, Issue 6063, 23 April 1881, Page 7

A DUELLIST'S EXPERIENCE.

Bakok De Sax Malata, a Sicilian, and a noted duellist, has recently gone to Paris to find a teßt o£ his skill as a combatant. He has fought forty duels, but in none of them has he been the challenger. It is told "of him that during a heated political canvass 1 m the course of a discussion with a first cousin, the latter called him by some opprobrious epithet. The Baron replied, "You are a coward!" The cousin answered, " Will you repeat that in five minutes ?" " Assuredly. The cousin went home and returned with a revolver in his haiid. The Baron went up and said, "Giuseppe, see here! That revolver don't suit your hand ; the stock never was made for you; for the life of you you could not use that pistol." . As ho ceased to apeak he spat in his cousin's face. Tho suddeuess and strangeness of this si>eech and attack bo bewildered the cousin that he neither said nor did anything. Tho Baron spat in his face again. Friends interfered, the cousin challenged the Baron. Tho eve. of the duel the Baron's aunt, who knew what an expert swordsman ho was, begged him to spare her son's life. Ho replied, " Giuseppe shall return from the field without even a scratch." The duel took place. The cousin attacked furiously. Tho Baron only parried. At last he turned his head and looked at his seconds until his adversary became so weak that he could no longer hold his sword, when the seconds interfered and ended the duel. At another timo he was challenged by tUe best broadswordsman in Sicily, while he himself was not skilful with this weapon. The broadsword was selected j by the seconds. On the field the Baroh took his sword in both hands and rnshud ufjou his adversary, using the weaponaa; if it were a blab. His adversary retreated.' .'.The* were put in position again.; The Baron disarmed his adversary. A third time they woVe put iii position; at tho first pass ; the Barons sword broke within oight inches of the hilt; •his adversary- kept on, the:seconds (Kd apt"