The Forest Republican. [volume] (Tionesta, Pa.) 1869-1952, 1885-03-18
A QUEER GAMBLING SCENE.
VISIT TO A cHINEsE GAMING HOUSE
IN CANTON.
Betting ON a Fight between Two
Crickets In Porcelain Howl
Flight of the 6aamesters

NBAhANH VAh - ENKIL NtGLNNGeM ANN0
CricEets in n Porcelain Howl
Flight of the Camesters.
A writer in an English publication de-
lcribing visit paid by him and com
panion to gaming house in China, says:
Preceded by Whang, whose long black
lail and dark dress gave him the appear
anu of a huge tadpole, we set out one
evening after sunset to visit one of the
most fashionable of the thousand and
one gaming houses with which Canton is
infested. After about fifteen minutes
smart walking, we arrived at low mar
row door in d dark narrow street, into
which we stopped and squeezed our
selves, and keeping close to our conduc-
tors tail, " entered small room lit by
three lanterns as large as regimeiital
double drums, and of the same shape,
and seven or eight oblate spheroids,
which were dangled about in the bands
Of the gamesters' attendants, and by
some of the sporting gentlemen them
selves, so anxious were they about the
game. "Tseng tow KEEP cried our con-
ductor, which being interpreted, means
'Clear the wayl" But we checked his
rudeness, and declared we only came as
visitors, and did not intend to bet.
In the center of the room was a round
table, ornamented at the edges with a
richly carved ivory rim; in the center of
this table was large porcelain bowl, of
delicate white color, veined and
clouded with pale tints of purple; round
this bowl were assembled some fifteen or
twenty Chinese gentlemen, evidently in
a state OF intense expectation and impa-
tience. At opposite sides of the bowl
stood Chinese attendants, who acted as
hackers of the respective combatants,
each being armed with a straw. The
play was now ordered to begin.
Two other attendants Immediately
made their way through the crowd, each
with little carved ivory case having
gold top of open work like an aromatic
scent-box, Out of the cases were pro-
duced two large crickets. These ght-
ing insects are regularly trained for the
contest by variety of curious processes.
They are of dusky color, with strong
legs and thighs, thick bodies, and broad
bull-heads, and have mouths that bite
like the front claw of little crab. The
combatants were placed at the same
time on the inside surface of the bowl,
and, sliding down quickly, came against
each other, head foremost, with a dry,
crisp, cracking sound. But they imme-
diately drew back, and began to
manoeuvre in the air with their front
legs. At sight of this great applause
was elected from the company.
The gamesters, however, soon became
too impatient to bear this display of
science, and the hackers were ordered
to make them ego to work. These
gentry accordingly advanced their
straws, and stirred, and turned, and
poked the crickets, till the poor
creatures became so exasperated at what
they evidently thought to be the strong
provocation given by each other, that
they reared themselves on their hind
legs, and danced, and bit. and wrestled
with their front legs, and pulled and
scratched, and tore, and rolled over and
over, and jumped up and down, and
slid about, and bled and foamed at the
mouth, until pieces of skin and joints
of legs were strewn quivering over the
bottom of the bowl.
These Chinese gentlemen were all ex
cited to the highest degree; They also
capered, and slid, and jumped up and
down, and pulled and scratched, and
squeaked and screamed, and frothed at
the mouth, while their eyes were all like
glittering beads. They betted for fly
cakes-cakes in which small black flies
are baked by way of currants; but the
thing hazarded is only nominal, gambling
for money being contrary to law. These
nice cakes, however, are privately un-
derstood to represent money.
/ confess was at last so absurd as to
become excited myself as the fight went
on, and made several bets of ten cakes,
with the understanding that my cakes
meant dollars. My friend, Captain
Bowling, in order to prevent me being
" done" hedged all my bets. felt GER
tain as to which of the crickets would
win, for one of them had by this time no
atom of wing left, and scarcely half aleg
to stand upon, while the other had one
ragged wing quite entire at the shoulder,
and three good stumps of thighs.
MY bets had by this time amounted to
one hundred dollars. Captain Bowling
having carefully hedged" to the same
amount with different sporting gentle
men in the room. No sooner, however,
had / made my bet of the last ten cakes,
than the cricket which was reduced to
mere trunk, and which, of course, l had
betted against, bit the head of his adver-
sary completely Off There lay the van
quished cricket, and there lay the head,
with the mouth opening and shutting.
have not the slightest idea how it was
done. 1t all seemed fair enough, and, l
may add, with shame in my participation
in it, barbarous enough-bad as our
ock-fghting. But how did it happen
that my cricket lost9 Surely some black
leg longtail must have done the deed
with an invisible pair Of nippers.
Howbeit, paid the hundred dollars.
Captain Bowling then went laughing
round the room TO collect his bets, which
would just have got the money back
again; when suddenly servant rushed
\ i . N.auH