Public ledger. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1865-1893, 1873-01-08
AN UGLY CONTEST.
A BuRaIo and TIgor Fight.

The Sourabyaa Java Courant of thu
10th Of September gives the followinl
account OF buffalo and tiger fight
which took place the day before, IL
honor Of the promotion Of native
headman: " Although the tiger hgh
announced was not to come off unit
four .. NJ, an enormous multitude hat
began in the morning to flock to the
aloon 10 witness spectacle which forms
one OF the most highly-prized amuse
ments with which the people can be
treated to here. In Europe, such amuse-
ments would be rightfully cried out
against as being most cruel and worthy
of an inhuman and barbarous nation
we are in Java, where no society yet ex.
lists 70 protect the tiger agains. the in.
stinctive desire OF the natives to make
this king of beasts of prey, when once
caught, and, as it were defenceless, be-
come sensible of all the revenge and
hate which they feel for so many Of their
eaten up fellow.men. This most plainly
appeared to be the case yesterday. The
police, who did not clear the ground be-
times, could not keep the countless null
titude at a proper distance from the
bamboo enclosure, within which the fight
between the tiger asd buffalo was TO take
place. Fruitless efforts were made to
keep back the crowd pressing on, by
means of blows from fats of swords,
whips and sticks. The onlookers we're
not contented with being able by hatten-
ing their faces against the bamboo en-
closure to stare at the buffalo, who, in
the middle of the lists, was whipped with
kind of burning nettle to excite his
rage; the multitude clambered up on the
bamboos, so that within few minutes
the tiger and buffalo pen had more the
look of human pyramid than of list.
Even the trees in the Eeighborhood bent
their branches under the weight OF the
inquisitive persons who had clambered
on them. In the meantime the tiger had
now and then uttered growls, more from
fear than wish to fight Just opposite
the opening of his pen the buffalo stood
on the lookout, ready to fall upon his
deadly enemy as soon as he had put in
an appearance. Hence, when, amidst
deafening hurrahs from the thousands of
throats, the tiger pen opened, the com
pulsory occupier of the same did not
belle his cowardly nature. He took ref
uge in q corner, and could not be induced
by thrusts from pointed bamboos to leave
it. until at length the fire with which he
was scorched compelled him TO step into
the lists. The tiger, however, crept
round the same, half dead with Fear, and
sought
TO AVOID HIS ANTAGONIST.
We could no longer see what further
happened. Pressed almost half fiat we
we're glad to be able to breathe more
freely at good distance off. The thou
sands of onlookers saw nothing in the
but the efforts of those who
stood at the top Of the pen to roast the
tiger with torches. At one time panic
arose, owing probably to joker crying
out, The tiger is outl" AS if by a |
wave cast by the surf on the beach, peo-
pie were pushed back by the backward |
and some were thrown down
no mishaps took place, which is strange,
the many carriages and |
frightened horses. Never has count
less multitude returned home more dis
and this, too, from a gratis
when the news went
from mouth to mouth that the tiger was
lead. How the king of the Javauese
woods came by his end no one knew; the |
buffalo probably gave him the finishing
stroke when he, half scorched, crept
round the lists. The Sourabaya Han
1elsbled of September 18th protests
against the proposed tiger and buffalo |
SIGHT as barbarity. 1t says that it is
bad enough that such spectacles take
place at the Courts of Surakarta and
where Javanese princes
govern, but it is worse at
Sourabaya, which is under direct Meth
erlands rule where a mere token Of dis
approval would be enough to make the |
subject Javanese give up such indul- |
zence in cowardly thirst for blood and |
sorturing animals. The article ends as
follows: Whoever has been at such
light knows that there is nothing else to
be seen than a continuous torturing of |
.wo animals who are hindered in their !
in the narrow lines, and are
moreover wholly taken back by the
Of the numerous onlookers,
md would desire nothing better than to
lyoid and leave each other in peace, but
ire steadily goaded on to the fight, and
hereby 20 on injuring each other with
,ut being able to end the contest, which |
s usually attained when the tiger is hung
ID in rattan snares OF made away with |
n some other way. A disgusting scenel"