#!/usr/bin/perl -w
use strict;

my @compass =
         (
             ["NW", "N", "X", "NE"],
             ["W", "center", "X", "E"],
             ["SW", "S", "X","SE"],
         );
         
foreach my $compass_row (@compass)
{
   my ($first, $last, $second) = (@$compass_row)[0,-1,1];
   my ($only_first) = (@$compass_row)[0];
   print "only the first thing: $only_first\n";
   print "  first=$first last=$last second=$second\n";
}

__END__
Prints:
only the first thing: NW
  first=NW last=NE second=N
only the first thing: W
  first=W last=E second=center
only the first thing: SW
  first=SW last=SE second=S