The New York herald., 1869-03-28
COCK-A-DOODLE-DOO
"FEATHERY TALK"
Cock Fighting and Cock Fighters,
Ancient and Modern.
The " Heathwoods" " Of Long Island-Other
Noted Strains-Their Homes. Owners
and Training for the Pit-Slck-
nesses and Remedies-In-
teresting Intelligence.
Tho mains are fought and past,
And the pit is empty now;
Some c0cks have crowed their last.
And some more loudly crow
From tha ahork


And some more loudly
From the shock
ince the days when the nobility Of England fought
aheir great cooking mains the presence OF crowned
heads, Judges, marshall. sherins and the selected
few Of the arstocracy to witness such contests the
Eamecock has not perhaps, improved at all in his
then superior breeding nor has he fallen from his
high estate. He is still as lofty in his bearing as
regal IN his port, stubborn In his vaor as jealous
In his nature and as vndictive in his disposition as
IN those 0lden days. He is still to be seen persecut
bng the turkey gobber and letting go at the head Of
the clamorous gander or aught else with feathers,
on his own walk, and occasionally we have expe-
Fence Of his leaving 1t and going like wander
ang knight Of the chivaric period In quest Of some.
sthing TO light Although he was once the cham
!Cion Of houses Of high ancestral name
whose daughters decorated the bags which he
honored with the armoral bearings Of their
fathers worked in rare colors and rich Silks he has
since descended to more plebeian surroundings and
occasionally to mercenary transactions. He has
been the pet Of the Seftons Derbys, stanleys,
Wynpes, Featherstonehaughs, and the earlier and
mghtier than they, OF q period.
Mssp .sss as rsssys S. ys1s, .as and Ssyss
= lnso as,a he ,'ts sieosy sos1s ssSs asvn'
But times change 1t Is greatly so regarding the
pastime Of cock lighting. In England the game
fashion. From being the pride Of large estates and of
country families. and next to the booded racehorse
che idol or the English heart, he Is chiefly pro-
duced there BY retired clergymen and old ladies'
who value him for his symmetry Of form and beauty
Of puma0e, and think his inveterate pugnacty
rather an evil than great desideratum.
ANTIQUITY OF THE aAMEoocK.
An essay upon the antiquity OF the gamecock Is
not demanded In this article. The bird M evidently
OF East India origin, transplanted from torrid
chimes tnto the milder latitudes Of England several
hundred years ago, and from that period,
according to the learned Roger Ascham, who
wrote treatise on the ancient pastime OF cock
lighting in the reign Of Queen Elizabeth, the natural
pugnacty Of the bird had been preserved for aboveor
nearly thousand years up to his time. 1t certainly
remains to this day and is 50 udcfously recognized
FIGHTING THE BIRDS.
Many think fighting gamecocks the most refined
cruelty. They stigmatlze 1t exquisite barbarity
and raise great outcry against the steel gafs that
era used in the pit They never can be made to be-
ateve that so long as game stays live, they will fight
that Is. whenever chickens OF the opposite sex are
IN their immediate neighborhood. Love produces
war, and at 1t the feathered champions
rattle to settle disputes. And these great
GROWERS will persist In not seeing that
Che steel heel obviates excessive cruelty by
shortening the duration OF such dngdong struggles.
bringing about the result in hot blood. The direr-
0uce between the killing OF cock In fight on the
yard with his own heels furnished hlm by nature
sand the killing OF cock In q gamey contested
struggle in the pit with the gafrs, is like that be-
tween pummelling . man to death with bludgeon
and killing him with the thrust OF rapier.
THE PATRONS OF COCK FIGHTING.
The valorous instincts Of the gamecock have been
the delight OF some Of the most eminent men, the
cultivated members OF society Of ancient and modern
times. They encouraged the amusement and lent
their presence TO the pit where they infused refine
ment and responsibility.
During the life OF the Earl OF Derby-a nobIeman
b, nature as well as birth-this pastme In England
was at its greatest height, and tnat gentleman's
weknown procvities IN tins respect impaired to 1t
che prominence 1t then attained eQuang the interest
and pleasures surrounding their racing contests &,
In this country some Of the most respected public
men. those standing high In the councils and
halls Of legislation have patronized the cockpit
ana thought 1t not wrong. Even Washington
was an admirer OF the game fowl, and In one
OF his famous private letters admitted to friend,
and that a. little extcnuatng circumstance for an
alleged seeming neglect, that he had '.just left the
cockpit" Instancng that he noted with as much
pleasure the game characteristics OF this bird, ana
bushed not to record It, others In less fortunate
positions In life. Cock fighting In the United States
has remote origin. II certainly Is OF the Oldest
OF our amusemsnts. During an entire century has
the territory now known the South been the
OF these contests increasing year by year to the
period OF our late civil war; when the cockpits
deserted for serner contests by field and flood Pro-
ucton Of the birds almost ceased Of course this
timc and the pleasant Thousand and one planta-
tions where many . towheaded and venera
BILE Sambo expended his skill In their breeding
rssounded no longer with the martial crow Of eager
cocks. Sinos that period, with swords ground
into pruning hooks, there has been throughout
nearly every southern State renewal OF their pro-
pagasion and consequent renewal OF cock lighting,
and many possessors OF curly heads and white
viii forget ss Of state court matter. % and s recon
.structIon generally sinking the mushroom states
man into the enthusiastic tighter and fancier OF
RMS noted amusement found It's way to New YORK
forty or fty years ago. Gentlemen OF aristocracy.
being synonymous with wealth, Intelligence integ.
,F1tv and innuence-lef the spacious halls or their
gave the sport that prominence they deemed Il
worthy Of since then IN every principal city OF the
pit estabshed Naturally the nett opolis takes pre-
codence In the matter and, as the past two years,
and particularly the past season. have noted an
present article. The number Of battles the charac.
ter Of the birds, the great amount Of stake money,
me severe contests enutle u and those connected
The years 1883 and 1S0e not alone marked this
increasing interest IN our city and suburbs but IL
tended TO every point Of the compass ramifying the
union--the green sod OF the south and white hills
of the North. with East and West catching the
quickenlng fmpulse-and mnde the vaiorous birds
OF noted strains In great demand. These abound
hore, and there is hardly any question that owners
and breeders OF this section will long retain the belt
for rare game. Prominent among these representa-
tives of the feathered tribe stand the noted Heath
woodr birds, bred In East New York, L. l., by
saGaci0us aud experienced parties. The system OF
breeding and training for the pitt introduced by the
two gentlemen VINO devote their leisure moments
IN oln vVi anOn np
formally introduced to the reader They have been
20 remarkably successful In producing strain Of
bros possessing all tho qualities OF courage and
beauty which are surgcsted IN amen 4 Connection
the cock lighting world.
NUN" THk MOTTO WITH BREEDERS GENBRALLvs
Men IN this business who, either for pleasure or
emolument, devote their time In experiments with
view to perfection In this matter OF breeding to say
nothing OF the lighters, generally those who can
ana DO keep their own counsel. Reticencc n their
sonsnns naoi., ana 70 extract or to attempt to OK