Why French Quels are Bloodless.

New Zealand Graphic, Volume XXVI, Issue XXI, 25 May 1901, Page 988

Why French Quels are Bloodless.

Nothing surprised French duellist > and politicians more than the fact That the recent duel iietwrvn Count Boni de ( astellane and M. dr Rodax s resulted in the latter bring wounded. To the* uninitiated it may seem odd that duels fought with deadly firearms should s<> rarely result in injuries to the combatant s: but the explanation is really simple enough: for all y\h;» have aux acquaintance with French duelling as practised to-day are w« I. aware th t the bullets are faked in nine ea>r< out of ten. These l>ullrt> are made of mercury ami lead, which in weight ami g -neral appearance are almost perfect counterfeits of the ordinary missiles, except for a slightly silver shade and greasy touch. Though heavy ami solid-looking, the first blow of the ramrod pulverise* them. \ll sorts of precautions a>v supposed to !»• taken against thi' kind of deception. <>f course, where modern r**v<dvcrs are used it is not easy to avoid danger, but in many duel* muzzle-loading pistols are U'ed. for the purpose of obviating all risk. Indeed, it is not unusual for seconds to agree in some celebrated “armurier"

yy ho shall furnish a sealed box of yveapons containing two pistols sealed and certified, and a number of similarly certified charges of powder and bullets. Trickery would therefore seem impossible. In spite, however, of all these precautions. the benevolent fraud goes on. There are usually four seconds two for < icli combatant. As it is easiei for two men to come to an understanding than four, the pair that have agi -e<l to prevent bloodshed manage t > take charge of the loading, while their confreres are listening to the last mryoiis recommendations of the prineipals. Of cour*e. as in the recent BoniRodays duel. encounters are sometimes fought with ordinary weapons and bullets.