The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1892-01-24
GAMBLIEG IN THE EAST.
Description of the Two Games That
Are Most Popular in Indo- China
FS-or, ne Topdo, (yiob.

description or the Two Games That
Are Most Popular in lido China.
From the Londot Globe
The "rhirty-slx Beasts and "Bacouann
are the two gambling games layed in Indo-
China and almost throughout the whole sx-
treme east, where they are assuming pro-
portions of so terrible demoralizng char
acter that the French government has found
IT necessary TO control aud limit their 60
ton in countries under its protectorate by
canceling the concession granted to certain
spectators.
THE " Ihirty-s;x Beasts" Is the favorite
game. and is played as follows: On the
ground floor of a building of rectangular
form there Is a spacious hall containing a
specified number of baskets, aud in the base
ment there are counterfeit representations
In card board Of thirty-six animals of diff
ferent species, and there it is that the cr0u-
pier otiiciates. He IS either an intelligent
Chinese or Sianless or Japanese or AMMAN
lite or Cambodiaa, according to the country
where the game is played, for it should be
known that it is popular not only
throughout Asia, including Persia
and Afghanistan, but even in
certain parts of British India. This crou-
pier is in communication only with the
person who farms" the game, and is en-
ployed exclusively by him Early in the
morning, affixed to frames placed at differ
ent spots in he town, are portions of arti-
fetal animals, such as pieces of horn, Of
hide, of siuew, OF plumage and fish bone,
etc, denotlng the nature of the animal
fixed upon as the winning one for the day
IL is conundrum which the players have
TO solve. People crowd in front of
these frames, each one forming his
own opinion, which he is pre-
pared to back, in regard 60 the animal a
fragment of which is submitted TO his in
spection. The Asiatic, who believes he has
made right guess, enters the hall and
stakes his money on the animal OF his
choice. In front of the house there is a
mast which caches down to the basement
and to which are affixed a cord and ulley,
which the croupier manipulates- At IL :65
O'Clock a. m. he draws to the top of the
mast one OF the aforementioned
baskets, containing the counterfeit win
mug animal, and punctualy on the
stroke of ~ O'clock he pulls the cord,
when the four sides Of the basket open
down and the animal is disclosed, much to
the delight Of the few winners, who at once
claim thirty times the amount OF their
stakes. AS one can see, this game bears but
little resemblance to roulette. Ii lacks the
combinations characteristic Of the latter
game For example, il offers no even
chance; it Is either winning thirty times
The natives are very mistrustful, and, ac-
cording to the statement of Europeans who
have witnessed the playing in the extreme
east, they keep close watch on the crou-
pier. stand close to him for hours, folowi x
his movements with lynx-eyed attention,
and miuutely inspecting after the game has
been played, the basket which contained the
winning animal. But with all their watch
fitness they cannot prevent the farmer"
Of the game from cheating. Certain ami
mails have many points of resemblance be
tween them. Now we will suppose that
there is exhibited inside the frame piece
Of VOLTS skin. This skin is very like the
skin of either dog, "A fox or jackal. If
the farmer sees that good deal has been
staked on the wolf, by q secret sign con-
veyed to the croupier in the basement he
signals to him to seud up one of the other
animals bearing a resemblance to it, and
the trick is PLAYED.
"Bacouan" is much played throughout
the whole of ludo-China. 1t is attractive,
as many Europeans have discovered to their
cost. IL is interdctod in Cochin China,
but is, nevert eless, considerably played
there clandestinely In its combinations it
is not unlike roulette and trentre-et quar-
| ante. This is how it is played: Figures
one, two, three and four are traced on a
table. and SO soon as the players have
| staked on these numbers the croupier
| places an untold number Of Chinese
| sapeques-small copper money-in a
bowl in front of him. He then
takes out handful, which
he places on the table. Using a
long thin rod for the purpose, he counts the
sapeques four by four, being closely
watched by the players during tho opera
ton. If they are not ell even numbers
| there remains either one, two or three
sapeques Players who have staked on No.
| l either even or odd money, if chance favors
them geg their stakes doubled, and those
| who have punted on a combination anal
ogous to that OF roulette get either twice,
thrice or four times the amount they have
! staked.
1t frequently happens in Cambodia, where
| people Of all classes are inveterate gam
| blers. that the game of bacouan is played on
parole, and so it is that the unlucky punter
often incurs liabilities which compel him to
| part with all his belongings, including even
! the sale Of his wife and children, in order to
pay his gambling debts aud continus to in
| dulge in his favOrte pastime. CambOdia is
under the protectorate of the French gov
eminent. The conditions Of the treaty be-
| tween the two countries in regard to the
suppression in March, 1888. OF the games
hitherto legalized have not been strictly
observed, and now MN. Vandelet and
Faraut, the original concessionnaires, claim
| from the STATE an indemnity OF SUU,UUU
francs on account of their premature inter-
| diction previous to 1889. which was the
| limit of che concession. For time these
games were entirely under the control of
| King Norodom, who, it is said, took the
liveliest interest in them, for they
were not only an important source OF
revenue to him but they afforded him
| frequent relaxation. He mixed freely with
| his people In the gambling hall, dressed in
the style in vogue during the reign
| Of George w., blue dress coat aud
brass buttons, with tails down 10 his heels,
nankeen combinations, silk stockings and
| pumps. He always distributed his winnings
| among the unlucky players. and paid up
unhinchingly whenever he lost, but in this
| case he reserve the expression Of his an
noyance at losing for the ladies OF his harem,
| who have a lively time Of it when Norodom
| is in bad bumor. He is sure 70 have some
| fault to find with one or the other
! OF them, and then he administers a
slight castigation with a small, thin
cane, lightly applied to their fair shoulders.
In Cambodia the French government has
SUCCESSFULLY allowed and disallo wed the
playing at these games, either capriciously
or TO suit the political interests OF France.
For two years, from Jan. l, 1885, up to Dec.
l, 1886, it controlled their financial position,
deriving profit therefrom, and being in di-
rect communication with the concession
naires. On grounds Of expediency it is now
definitely opposed to their continuance.
Did'st Thou Not Dream Of Me Last
Night?