Shepherdstown register. [volume] (Shepherdstown, Va. [W. Va.]) 1849-1955, 1888-02-24

The turtles are selected long before
the fight by experts. They are care
fully trained by feeding them with
raw meat sprinkled with red pepper
or similar spices and by teasing them
into perfect frenzy. This part of the
process seems to develop their feroci-
ty; their courage needs no stimula
ton as physical cowardice or general
fear of any sort appears to be I'M
known in its mental economy. Its
jaws are improved by teasing it with
stick till thereptile bites it, and then
suspending and shaking the. creature
until it falls of from sheer exhaustion.
Just before the fight the jaws are
filed and sharpened until the mouth
is series of points and edges. When
the event comes off a narrow pit is
made on the floor of the room or hall,
and the handlers produce the con-
testants and exchange them for ex-
animation This is similar TO tasting
the terriers, " in a dog fight to discover
whether the fur has been impregna-
ted with corrosive chemicals or pois-
onous drugs. The reptiles are re-
turned tothe handlers, who, squatting
in the pit, strike the one in their ad-
versarys hands with that in their
own, till the two snappers are beside
themselves with rage. This portion
of the program demands extreme care,
for if one can catch hold of the other
by sudden snap, the fight is practic-
ally ruined. The head should strike
the midshell of the other and vice
versa, and any other mode of inita-
ton being regarded as very bad form.
They are then placed in the pit facing
each other and the fight begins. Each
plunges forward with vicious snap
at the other. If a neckhold be Sc
cured on the first bite the contest will
be short one. If, on the other hand,
one seizes the leg of the other and so
gets leghold, long and wearisome
affair is almost certain to result. For
the snapper is as obstinate as it is in
telligent. What it catches hold OF Is
never relinquished. If it be its OPP
ponent's leg, that leg will come off be-
fore the jaws are relaxed and new
attack made. On one occasion, in
Park street pit, turtle got a leg hold
on its adversary. AS the minutes
rolled by the sharp jaws could be seen
cutting their way through the limb.
The victim tried hard to retaliate,
but could strike the shell and nothing
more 1t slowly squirmed and slid upon
the imprisoned member untilit forced
the head of the other, still holding its
prey into an oblique position, and
then with q terrific snap secured
a splendid neckhold upon the appar-
ent victor The jaws cut through the
windpipe, arteries and veins with
such force that they could be heard
by the breathless audience. Finally
the eyes of the reptile closed and the
head fell lifeless, still holding the leg.
which came off as its owner won the
fight. With first-class neckhold
fight lasts about half hour; a poor
neckhold an hour; leghold from one
to three hours. The contest ends with
the death of at least one of the fight
ers; in most in stances the victor is so
badly injured as not to long survive
the struggle. The thrifty Oriental
then proceeds to cook the victim, and
oftentimes the victor, and pronounces
their flavor greatly improved by the
thorough bloodletting it has under
zone