passion. What was the duello, which code most of these men recognized, but an appeal to private combat for offences alleged to have been committed against the arbitrary rules of society, agahist courtesy or etiquette, so-called laws of honor, which courts of law did not recognize ?
Journalists and politicians were those who most delighted in this sort of argument. Their honor seemingly required more care than that of others, and it was necessary to keep it well patched, and not expose it too recklessly. But among the sporting fraternity the code found some adherents, and now and then a butcher and a baker attempted to balance their books in that way, so that altogether there was at one time a new duel for every issue of the Sunday's paper.
" Je veux bien etre tue; mais mouille, non." " I am willing to be killed, but I am not willing to be wet," cried Sainte-Beuve as lie stood in the rain before Dubois, and regardless of the expostulations of the seconds, fired four shots from under an umbrella.
Among the encounters of the early Spanish American adventurers were those of Velasco and Ponce de Leon, who during the reign of Ferdinand and Isabella chose a narrow bridge near Madrid, where they were to fight without armor, in doublet and hose, with spears; of Ojeda and Nicuesa, who at Santo Domingo talked of settling their differences by combat, until the latter stipulated that each should put up $25,000 to fight for; of Nunez, the young page of Cortes, who at Mexico in 1521 begged permission to accept the challenge of a Mexican of great prowess, who, armed with sword and buckler, defied the Spaniards to single combat. After a desperate struggle the page slew his antagonist, and bore to Cortes the spoils of victory. But the most notable affair of those in which America was interested, was the challenge and almost immediate death of Diego Alvarado, who offered to fight with Hernando Pizarro in Spain in 1539, Pizarro
