Dressed in crimson tunic, and steel-grey breeches, which displayed the well-formed proportions of the lower limbs, the lines of English combatants presented a most imposing appearance. Five hundred horsemen brilliantly attired, with silver helmets glittering in the sunshine, and mounted on well-trained steeds, awaited the signal to commence, while the same number of athletes on foot stood with eager looks in perfect readiness also. The Indian athletes formed also a glittering galaxy of imposing splendour. Attired throughout in white and gold, their dark complexions set off by cream and gold helmets which shone bravely in the sunshine, they looked, indeed worthy antagonists for the bold and hardy Northerner. With lances drawn the combatants at the given signal now rush towards each other. Every man singles out his adversary, when a masterly piece of parrying takes place. With great skill and display of well-trained muscle-power the Eastern parries the Northern’s stroke, which is unlike all hitherto known, it being allowable only on the right arm. If in the heat of battle an athlete should inadvertently hit his adversary in a vital part, and thereby cause his death, the unlucky contestant must himself pay a heavy money penalty to the family of the slaughtered man: this rule acted most beneficially, and formed on the whole a very safe life-insurance for each combatant. The richly decorated galleries surrounding the scene of action are now filled with the _élite_ of the whole world. Emperors, kings, czars, princes, and potentates of high position accompanied by their ladies beautifully attired make a _tout ensemble_ that once beheld could never be forgotten. Such a variety too, of costume as was never before seen grouped together, dazzled the beholder; for the Eastern style differed from the West as greatly at this time as in any previous period, but in a contrary way. During the lapse of many generations the Eastern had been gradually adopting the Parisian or Western mode of dress; and the Western the flowing Eastern robes, until by this time the two modes were reversed; or, at least as much as our northerly climate would admit. Thus it came to pass that a fair-haired English maiden would be attired in a flowing yellow silk robe, confined at the waist by a golden girdle, and at her side her mother stood draped in rich velvet that hung in graceful, flowing ripples from her shoulders; while the native of Turkey rejoiced in a tight-fitting bodice, with skirt beflounced and befrilled in nineteenth-century Western style. By this time the emancipation of Turkish women from their conventional imprisonment had taken place to their intense satisfaction. It was a long and hard battle this struggle for independence, and natural freedom, and was only gained eventually through the intervention of the chief women of the Teutonic Empire.