The Bossier banner. [volume] (Bellevue, Bossier Parish, La.) 1859-1952, 1878-07-25
Chinese Sports.

The Chinese, who never seem to out
grow their childhood, are endlessly
amused with sports which, among civ
ilized nations, are abandoned to the
younglings. The flying of kites is an
habitual pastimeswith the Mongolian
gentlemen of mature years and grave
responsibilities
6 remember" remarks DR.. Gray,
long resident in the "Flowery King
dom," being considerably surprised
when, calling upon Chinese gentle
man, shortly after my arrival in China,
l was informed by the servant that he
was on the top of the house flying his
kite" "Chinese kites" continues this
writer, +" which are without tails, are of
all shapes, and resemble birds, insects,
baskets of flowers, serpents, centipedes,
ships and even men. Those resembling
serpents or centipedes are sometimes Of
enormous length. The most beautiful
Kite l ever saw was at Tamsin, in For
mosa, and was in the form of Cath
erine-wheel. The largest kites are
made at Tientsin, and some of them
require four or five men to hold them.
In the center of Chinese kites, four or
five metallic strings are fixed on the
principle of the Eolian harp. When
they were flying, 'slow-lisping notes, as
of the Eolian lyre,' are distinctly
heard.''
But kite-fying, odd as it is as an amuse-
ment for the adult mind, is less queer
than cricket-fghting, which is a very
popular sport with the Celestials in the
southern provinces of their Empire.
The insects used in this sort of play
abound in the hilly regions, land are cap
tured at night. They are enticed or
driven from their holes by various expe-
dients, and, when caught, are kept
singly in earthen pots, holding little
fine mold, and tiny dish of water for
the crickets to drink and bathe in. They
are fed with certain species of fish and
of insects, with boiled chestnuts and
rice, and honey is administered to
strengthen them. The rooms in which
they are confined are kept pure and
clean, and, should they sicken from
over-eating, "a kind of red insect is given
them. If they take cold, mosquitoes
are provided as remedy; if i'll from
heat, the green shoots of the pea are
used as corrective; and, finally, but
terflies are procured to overcome any
difficulty in breathing
When brought to the cricket-pit, the
insects are matched in point Of size,
weight and color. A cricket which has
come off victorious in many contests is
named shou-lip, and, when it dies, is
honored with burial in silver coffin.
"The places most notorious. for
cricket-fghting are Fa-tee," writes DIR.
Gray, "in the immediate vicinity of
Canton and Chapee, near Whampoa.
At these places there are extensive mat
sheds, divided into several compart-
ments. In each compartment there is
a table with small tub on it, in which
the crickets fight.
The person whose cricket wins is pre-
sented with roast pig. a piece of silk,
and a gilded ornament resembling a
bouquet of flowers. This decoration is
placed by the winner, either on the an
cestral altar of his house, or on shrine
in honor of Kwan-te. In order that
| men may be made acquainted with the
merits of the crickets matched against
each other, placard is posted on the
side of the building, setting forth the
| various stakes won by each cricket.
The excitement manifested at these
matches is very great, and crickets
which display great fighting powers are
not infrequently sold for large sums. -
| The inhabitants of Mongolia take lit
tie interest in feld-sports, although, in
the northern provinces, hunting is
not uncommon. The hare is pursued,
in the province of Chill, with the falcon
in addition to hounds. The hare is in
such fear of this bird, that, when the
falcon hovers over it, it crouches to the
ground and falls any easy prey to its
pursuer. In the north, the falcon is
sometimes used in hawking, and great
pains are taken to train it for the pur-
pose.-Chicago Tribune. r.. r,,@...a
\