The Dorset County Express and Agricultural Gazette.
Dorchester, Dorset, England, 1861-04-16 00:00:00

TII6 FIGHT.

At about 9 o'clock, the dog; having been dried and
the referees calling time, the curtains were removed,
and the dogs sprang together. With low snarls of rage,
with every muscle rigid, with jaws clueing and holding
like keen vices, inure like exquisitely-arranged machines
than like animals. For the first fuer momenta Rosie
had the best of the bargain, soil her admirers shouted
accordingly. The trainers stood each behind his own
dog, snapping their fingers for the animal to keep their
hold; stamping to order thous to make briaker fighting,
encouraging, advising, and assisting them by word and
gesture, but refraining from touching them with even
the tip of a finger. In ten minutes liege's victory was
begun. The instinct of the dogs, their eilueition and
their skill, were wonderful. NOW they rose upon their
hind feet, and wrestled and tripped, like champions.
Now Bess allowed her opponent to retain a painful, but
not dangerous hold, until she had breathed herself a
little. Now Rosie, by a quick summersault, a madden
rally, or by seizing one of her contestant's legs, succeeded
in shaking herself loose from a fatal grip, Now Bess
threw the American dog heavily several times in order
to weaken it, and then, securing a good hold, crouched
her back and bored herself into her opponent's very
heart. Then atm a quick rally, in which each tried to
secure the ;yet grip—fencing, dodging, moving like
lightning, watching each other's eyes, and the
monient an opportunity occurred, fastening its teeth
like • spring-trap, and pulling the other dog backwards
and forwarls around the pit by main force.
It is impossible to express the agility of the duce' move-
ment, their celerity, the scientific precision and cer-
tainty of their attack and defence, the instinctive pus-
shin which made every limb like iron and every muscle
like steel, the knowledge which they seem to possess of
everything which would favour or defeat them, the in-
domitable pluck with which they endured the pains of
the combat, the coolness with which, while suffering
terribly or inflicting equal punishment, they heard and
obeyed the commands of their trainers. And all this
in perfect silence, the low snarls with which the com-
bat began having ceased as the dogs warmed to their
work. In 15 minutes slow murincr from the English
benches, and a defiant shout from those id the Brook•
lynites, announced that Rosie's tail had dropped—a
sure sign of diatress—and in 17 minutes from the com-
mencement of the fight the pet of Brooklyn, who had
never been made to complain before, began to cry for
quarter, and now lay helpless at the mercy of her
adversary; perceiving which Bete paused a moment to
take breath for the coup de ',tort, but even then lay
upon her opponent so as to deprive it of the power of
respiration. A moment, and, with hind legs firmly
braced, Bess pushed her way to Route's throat, and the
contest instantly ceased.
Banes trainer now called his dog away for a scratch
or turn, which is almost equivalent to a round in
pugilisni. The ilogs were taken to their corners,
sponged, and let go. Bess flew across the ring at her
adversary and worse' hard to finial her task as soon
as possible. All the while Rosie uttered weak'
plaintive cries, and tried feebly to beat off
those sharp teeth which were gnawing out her
life. osse or two Brooklyn moo, who gars iltteroulod
in the fight sem: hundreds of dollar*, rase to leave the
I room, but it was anticipated-linch is the boasted honour
among sporting men— that they were going for the
I police, tremendous shouts Were raised, the keepers
refused to open the doors, and the informer* were not
allowed to go out of the building. 311.ginglilin now
used every means to carry Bois away. Sheffield George,
excited, apprehensive, anxious, encouraged his dog to
make a death of it. Finally, at just 31 minutes from
the beginning of the fight, the dogs were again scratched.
dl'Loughlin Accidentally touched Bee a moment before,
but the referees took no notice of this, on account of
the obvious defeat of his dog. Under the circumstances
this carelessness would have lost sl'Loughlin his fight.
The dogs were again sponged and brought out, it being
Itosie's turn to cross the ring and attack Begs. The
Pride of Brooklyn was humbled, however. She was
redid, • foot or two towards her adversary, who was
anxiously endeavouring to get at her, and then sank
dewn so nearly dead that she is not expected to recover,
and Bess was declared the winner of the fight and the
champion of the world.
In such a combat, if the dogs alone be considered,
there is none of that repulsiveness which is generally
supposed to accompany dog fighting. The dogs tight
quietly, scientifically, and evidently love their work. Of
the men who make dog fighting is lieelihood, however,
or of those who habitually encourage, attend, and
support such exhibitons, there can be but one opinion,
and that not the moat favourable. The class of men
who get up and attend these fights are sufficiently and
justly under the ban of public opprobrium already, and
to that we leave them. Of the two we consider the dog
the superior animal.