The Countrymen will have the opportunity to level the scores when the second hurling of the year is held in St Columb Major on Saturday, March 15 at 4.30pm.

Historian Barry West has traced the history of the ancient game, which is still played passionately between Townsmen and Countrymen.

Although "hurling," as one of the most ancient of Cornish games, was formerly played in many parts of the county of Cornwall, it has been practically kept alive for many years past exclusively by the men of St Columb Major.

But an attempt has just been made to resuscitate the game in the neighbouring parish of St Columb Minor, the contest having taken place on the great sandy beach at Newquay.

Perhaps this example may prove contagious, and the game may again become an "annual " throughout the "Delectable Duchy."

In the event of such a revival, it is unlikely that all the ancient conditions under which the game has always been played at St. Columb will be observed and adhered to.

Certain of its rough features do not quite accord with present-day ideas, and an appreciable revival of "hurling" must almost certainly be contingent on the elimination of a certain amount of the danger and rowdyism that have been associated with the game as it has been handed down from remote times.

The St Columb men have ever constituted a physically vigorous community. It may be said that the Charter under which their weekly market has been held for more than five centuries, and a half was won on the battle-field, for it was in recognition of their bravery at Halidown Hill that King Edward, two days afterwards, at Berwick-on-Tweed, granted this Charter to their leader, Sir John Arundel.

It is not difficult, therefore, to understand why the descendants of these men have seen no reason to lessen the dangers of their ancient and cherished game by even substituting in the play a "ball" made of somewhat softer material than the time-honoured" silver."

Hurling, as it has continued to be played at St Columb from time immemorial, is a contest between "Town" and "Country"-that is to say, men residing in the town are matched against men residing in the rural parts of the parish.

There is no limit as to numbers on either side, but both sides muster in as great strength as possible.

The game is played annually, on Shrove Tuesday, and is continued and brought to a close on the following Saturday week.

Carew, who wrote his "Survey of Cornwall" three hundred years ago, has stated that "Hurling taketh his denomination from throwing of the ball, and is of two sorts, in the east parts of Cornwall to goals, and in the west to the country."

It is evidently "hurling to the country," as it was understood in Carew's time, that has always been played at St Columb, although it involves the use of "goals."

The combatants assemble at a certain spot in the centre of the town, where, after three cheers have been given and a short interval has been subsequently allowed, the ball is thrown up in the air.

This ball is of apple-wood with a thick coating of silver, and weighs twelve ounces.

From the spot where the ball is thrown up, the two “goals" are each a mile distant, and are thus two miles apart.

One is designated the "Town goal" and the other the "Country goal," and the object of each party is to get the ball to its particular goal.

The side that succeeds in doing this becomes the winner, and the individual who touches the goal with the ball is entitled to keep the silver trophy in his possession until the next "hurling day," when it will be his privilege to throw it up," and thus to commence another year's game.

When the ball is thrown up, there begins at once a general and vigorous scramble for its possession. Should it be seized by a representative of the "Town" he calls out "Town ball," and throws it to some other member of his side in the direction of the "Town goal."

Corresponding action with the contrary object would be taken. if the ball were seized by a member of the "Country" party. If the possessor of the ball should be free from the reach of any opponent, he may run with the ball towards his goal until he is intercepted by one of the other side.

But whenever the man holding the ball is touched by an opponent, the rule of the game is that he must forthwith "deal" the ball-that is, throw it from him. As the game proceeds, the players pursue the ball through and over all obstacles.

Over hills and dales, hedges and ditches, they make their way. There is a good deal of strategy displayed by the contending parties; and as each side tries to get the ball to its own goal, so the other side endeavours to prevent it.

Consequently, representatives of both sides. are placed in various parts of the field, with the object of assisting their colleagues or retarding their opponents, as the case may be; and a fleet-footed player, outrunning his pursuers as he makes towards his goal with the ball in his hand, often finds someone lying in ambush to intercept his advance. But most of the players keep in the vicinity of the ball; and watchers from St Columb Church-tower note with interest the swaying of the crowd as the ball is thrown or carried first in one direction and then in another.

In the "Survey of Cornwall," to which reference has been already made, Carew says—

The ball in this play may be compared to an infernal spirit, for whosoever catcheth it fareth straightways like a madman, struggling and fighting with those that go about to hold him; and no sooner is the ball gone from him but he resigneth this fury to the next receiver, and himself becometh peaceable as before.

I cannot well resolve whether I should more commend this game for the manhood and exercise, or condemn it for the boisterousness and harms which it begetteth; for as on the one side it makes their bodies strong, hard, and nimble, and puts a courage into their hearts to meet an enemy in the face, so, on the other part, it is accompanied with many dangers, some of which do ever fall to the players' share: for proof whereof, when hurling is ended, you shall see them retiring home, as from a pitched battle, with bloody pates, bones broken and out of joint, and such bruises as serve to shorten their days; yet all is good play, and never attorney nor coroner is troubled for the matter.

At the conclusion of the game the players repair once more to their trysting-place in the centre of the town, where the ball is held aloft by

the man who has succeeded in touching his side's goal with it, all joining in the three cheers with which it is thus "called up."

It is conceivable that when a "silver ball," weighing three-quarters of a pound, is thrown to and fro in a crowd frenzied with the excitement of the game, considerable damage to property as well as to person is the result.

Yet no one thinks of making any monetary claim for damage done on "hurling day." Householders can take the precaution, if they think fit, of boarding up their windows; but if they fail to do this, they knowingly run the risk of having them smashed or other injury done to their property.

So long as the play is in the streets, the cries of "Town ball" and "Country ball" are varied by the sounds of breaking glass and other indications of wreckage; but as this is one of the recognised concomitants of the game, it is accepted and regarded simply as an incident" in a campaign.

In fact, the mob holds high festival on "hurling day," and this particular phase of rowdyism has its field-day consecrated by public sanction and immemorial custom.

The condition of many of the players at the close of the day, as in Carew's time, has always testified to the dangers involved in the use of a metal ball; for, as an old hurler of the present generation lately remarked, "Many people are seen walking about with their eyes in a sling" after this annual festival has been held.

It was also long the custom-though not observed now to the same extent as formerly-for "old scores" to be settled on "hurling day," when the guardians of the peace did not interfere to stop a fight with fists any more than to stop the hurling itself.

The scrimmage for the ball naturally afforded abundant opportunities for such collisions. Altercations which often followed the conclusion of play not unfrequently produced similar results; while the skill of the wrestler found abundant exemplification by men contending for the possession of the silver trophy.

Sometimes, if legitimate opportunities did not offer, they were created. Thus: a sturdy man, wanting to distinguish himself, addressed another hurler on one occasion by saying, "I'm as good a man as you be, Jan Hawken." In response to this challenge, Jan replied, "Then come along with me." Collaring the aggressor, Jan dragged him along the road, and, giving him the wrestler's "flying mare," threw him heavily on a great heap of stones.

It was in this way that Jan settled" the question at issue between him and his challenger and proved that the other was not "as good a man" as himself.

This redoubtable hurler, now in his eighty-fifth year, joined in the game that was played on Newquay beach the other day.

The origin of hurling is lost in antiquity.

It is suspected, however, to have possessed some ecclesiastical connection, for the east window of the parish church was commonly a goal in former times, while tradition asserts that in at least one parish the ball was always" thrown up" in the church itself, and that the clergy took a leading and active part in the play. For some reason or other this ancient

Cornish game has been so generally discontinued that it practically survives in only one parish, though, in this particular district, it is as hardy an "annual" as it ever

The recent attempt to revive hurling in a neighbouring parish will probably be attended with success; but it may be confidently stated that the chances of a general revival would be all the greater if the danger of physical injury were lessened by the substitution of some less murderous ball than the terrible “silver" orb that custom prescribes for use.

As a relic of antiquity, the game is singularly interesting; as a physical exercise it is most invigorating; and these considerations might not unreasonably ensure the revival of its old-time popularity if the element of needless danger were eliminated and the risks of broken noses and fractured skulls reduced to the average minimum of popular games.