The Palatka daily news. (Palatka, Fla.) 1884-1888, 1886-12-31
PEcULiARITIES OF THE MALAYS WHO
LIVE IN NEW YORK.
CreGariousness of the Colony I'm Their
Various Relations Of Life-Amuscment
of Turtle Fighting-GamblinG-M
mony-Boarding House-Reiigion.

Various Relations Of Life-Amuscment
of Turtle Observation-Disclosures
mony-Boarding House-Reiigion.
So far as the western world is concerned
the Malay is a nomad. Those who have
settled i'm New York came there as seamen.
who intended to return by the same ship, bus
who by accident or other cause were obliged
to remain until they more or less at
tached to their new home. In the years they
have grown by accretion until they form
legitimate colony similar to those OF the
Chinese, the Italians and the Polacks-
This colony rises and falls in number
according to the nationality of foreign
seamen i'm port II never falls below
800, and sometimes rises as high as 500.
The Malay, contrary to popular belief, Is not
pure blooded race, so far as the New York
representatives are concerned A leading
man in the Sixth ward, Nix de In Cruz, has
the build of Falstaff, a round, full face,
more like a German 5 than of any other nation
ality. "a warm sepia comp exion. long blue
black hair that breaks in heavy curis upon
his shoulders, and the physiognomy of an ideal
philanthropist. Min Goe, who Is equally popu-
lar in Oriental councils, and who runs n queer
gambling house in Mott street, is thin, wiry,
fierce featured. straight haired, yellow skinned
and cat like in ways and actions. Malaba, a
third, is almost European in his sphysiognomy,
but as dark "a Louisiana negro in hair and
skin. These differences are, perhaps, attrib-
utablc to the fact that most of those in the
metropolis come from Manila and other
Malay seaports, where from time immemorial
there has been n constant mscegenation OF
all the Oriental races.
GREGARIoUsNEss-AMU
Like all the eastern people, they are habit
uated to the practices made needful by a
dense population. No matter where they are
they crowd together 1t Is not uncommon
for fifteen twenty to sleep together in
room OF Il by - dimensions. In converse
tion they squat or stand together till almost
all engaged are in personal contact. When
thev visit a liquor saloon one of the dance
Ealls so common in the lower wards, they go
In knots of Ave more. The gregariousness
extends to almost all the relations of life, and
i'm some Maaysinn communities enters the
marital relation. producing that singular Gus
tom, polyandry.
Their nmusements are few and simple The
most remarkable of these is turtle fighting
Two swapping turtles are carefully selected
and trained The hest for sporting purposes
are those that weigh from fifteen to twenty
pounds apiece Lighter ones are immature
and not so muscular Heavier ones are logy
slow and less vindictive. The training con-
sists i'm teasing them three times day with a
bamboo rod and allowing them to hang from
thiI by the hour after they once take hold.
The only diet is raw meat and red pepper,
even water being tsibooed. The day before
the fight tho teeth and jaws are examined
overhnulcd flied and scraped till they re
semblc l.nifc edges.
The fi-ir j. conducted in n small ring not
more than yard in diameter The snappers
arc produced au1 washed and each tasted by
the SECONDS of the other. This Is done to pre-
vent cowitch or poisonous drugs being placed
upon the salient points whence it may enter
the mouth. no-.' and eyes of the opposite an
tagouit They ara then irritatetl in the usual
stylc with II sharp ru.l until nearly frcnzied.
md then placed in the center of the ring
There is neither wait nor running away
Each Snaps ut tn other simultaneously. The
best hold y an oliquc hold. This enables the
one that cat.-h,=s To- reach the carotid artery
and the wirl'luiIe without Icing compelled to
bite t!iTcu IL tho massive cartilages OF the
neck N,.~t Uo this il n straight neck hold, in
which tlc two jows strike against the top and
bottom of the neck Below this again is the
cross hol.l, in which the jaws strike against
the two sides OF the neck. Poorest of all is
the leg hold. This is regarded by all Oriental
sports as the acme Of unintelligencc, because
IL both the snappers take leg holds the fight is
lengthene,l out interminably. The combat is
TO the dcath-one of the turtles always being
killed and frequently both
GAMBLING-MARRIAGE-
The Malays. like the Chinese are great
gamblers Their favorite games for which
we have no name in English, suggest tand a
few resemble) faro, lottery, roulette odd and
even. dominoes and dice. Many Of them
have learned the American national game
and draw and bluff with the sang froid of a
Mor1isSey or a Ransom In the home life
they have male III the new world the Malays
are industrious, affectionate and domestic.
When they marry they pick out il possible a
German woman, next To her n daughter OF
Erin then a lady of color, and last of all an
American Why they prefer this order has
never been asccrtained Nix de In Cruz
i married. To n German widow. who
speak but little English and he speaks even
les German When asked why he married
her h., said German women are not
pretty, but they never get drunk; they don't
fight; they work hard; they're good house
keepers, and they have lots of children. "
When married they herd together the same
when single A typical boarding house in
Baxter Street Bend" is compartment on
the ground floor about fourteen feet wide by
seventy long broken up by partitions into
six rooms OF these the front room is
the Office and store. The next, a compart-
ment fourteen by twenty feet, is the living
and sleeping place of the boar,iers, who vary
from one to twenty in number. In the third
sleep Nix. his wife and smaller children, in
the fourth his larger children. The fifth i:
dining room and kitchen combined The
sixth and last Is the store room Such
place costs from S:s5 TO $40 month rent and
nett its proprietor about 5000 per annum-
The Malays have been taught so many re
ligions that they may be truthfully said IL
have none. Missionaries and zealots from
the Buddhist, Mohammedan, Roman Catho
lie and Confucian faiths are found in every
town and hamlet of Malaysia They out
number Protestant missionaries ten to one
Unlike the latter, they adapt themselves t
their surroundings and become integral unit.
of the community. They teach persistently
As a result the Malay faith seen in New
York is a vague mixture of all the religions
nanleci-New York Cor. Cleveland Leader