The men on the rope pulled and strained till their faces were red with effort and their joints crackled.

The rope was new, and, as their hands slipped, their wives and daughters sprang in, scooping up the earth in double handfuls and pouring it on the rope and the hands of their men to give them better grip.
A stout, middle-aged woman, carried beyond herself by the passion of the contest, seized the rope and pulled beside her husband, encouraged him with loud cries.

A watcher from the opposing team dragged her screaming away and was dropped like a steer by an ear-blow from a partisan from the woman's team.

He, in turn, went down, and brawny women joined with their men in the battle.

Vainly the judges and watchers begged, pleaded, yelled, and swung with their fists.