Star.
London, England, 1821-06-12 00:00:00

WHITSUN HOLIDAY AMUSEMENTS.

Yesterday some hundreds of amateurs, from Lon-
don, had a rare day's sport in the vicinity of Shooters'
Hill. The celebrated game bull, which displayed
such courage and science, about twelve months ago,
in Fulham-fields, and of whose prowess we gave a
particular account at that time, was brought forward
in order to shew how easily he could repel the attacks
of about one hundred spirited and ferocious dogs,
which were successively let loose at him. The noble
animal was not in the slightest degree dismayed by
his assailants ; he never attempted to run even half
the length of his rope, but waited their approacli
with the utmost coolness and composure. He kept
his nose so close to the ground, that it was impossible
to pin him ; and even before he could receive a
scratch, he had one of his horns ready to pitch his
antagonist into the air. It was about half-past three
o'clock when this conflict commenced. .At first only
one dog at a time was suffered to attack the bull ;
and every attack proved ineffectual ; for after three
or four desperate assaults, and a severe pitch from
the horns, and a bang against the ground each time,
each dog was carried away in a helpless state by its
owner. After a respite of about a quarter of an hour,
two dogs at a time were suffered to fly at the bull ;
these were equally unsuccessful in their endeavours
to catch hold of him ; for when they got under his
belly, he beat them down with his feet ; and when
they came near his face, he flung them about with
as much ease as he would so many sheaves of corn.
Three or four dogs were afterwards suffered to at-
tack him at once; and these too he defeated with
astonishing dexterity and composure. Three dogs at
a time were frequently seen carried away, quite dis-
abled, by their owners. At last a prime bull-dog, of
'a black colour, which was considered the most fierce
and powerful of all that were brought into the field,
was let loose; he rushed with fury against the enemy,
not upon either of the flanks, but in his very front,
just as a besieging force would try to storm the sa-
liant angle of a fortress. His approach was observed
with admirable coolness And deliberation; and before
he was able to make the slightest impression on the
outworks, he was thrown into the air just as if a
mine had been sprung, and his fall was so terrible,
that he did not survice the shock ; he died in less I
than five minutes in the arms of his owner. The',
fight was then at an end : no other person would I
venture to try the courage of his dog ; and the vic-
torious bull was led away in triumph from the field :
he followed his keeper with as much docility and
quietness as if he were a spaniel.
It was expected that the above exhibition would
have been succeeded by a battle between two Lon-
don pugilists, for 20 guineas a-side; but neither of
them made their appearance.
The chilling cold and wetness of yesterday did not
intimidate the lovers of rural recreations from pay-
ing their annual 'visits to the, beautiful lawns and
walks of Greenwich. At an early hour in the morn-
ing, all the coaches and some scores of carts were
filled with passengers from London; and the sum-
mit of the hill in the Park was, as usual, crowded
with lads and lasses, who were resolved to take the
precipitate and perilous run, at the expense of several
tails and damaged garments. These sports were.
kept up until the heavy showers, which fell about
two o'clock, completely cleared the place. The
shows and booths, in the meantime, were crowded,
and dancing and carousing was, as usual, kept up in
all the public-house).