The Yellowstone journal. [volume] (Miles City, Mont.) 1893-1901, 1893-09-29

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Enter:aia, Ills Cong, egatiop With Rare
Contests " Helligerent Cocks
One Sundays sport.
ut was in a Mexican village" said the
explorer. Great had been Il surprise
the evening before when a little after j
o'clock we rode into the public square
up to the door of the convent and OBJ
served a long line of game cocks guard
ing one s.ue of the great church. Well
that was our first impression. Closer
inspection made things palmer. In the
convent, residence of only the priest and
his relations. we hung II hammocks.
rested aw lille, refreshed the inner nan
with tortillas and black beans, then went
forth to investigate the feathered regi-
ment. The large church was built out
INTO the square, so that its rear wall was
III a line with the convent and other
structures forming that side of the
square.
along the wall that stoOd at right an.
giles with the front Of the convent small
wooden stakes had been driven in the
ground. To each a plumed warrior was
securely attached at q safe distance from
his valiant compeers. Who could have
dared to utilize for such q purpose the
shade afforded by the wall Of the saG5ed
edifce? Another instant and we should
have voiced this Thought. 1t is general.
= u mistake to speak in q hurry. The
good old priest had followed US and was
now al our side. Pointing a lean brown
finger at q very proud looking rooster,
he SAID. That is the prince Of this lot,
though they vii, Ill prove themselves
splendid fighters, l know! have net
studied the creatures 40 years for nothing
So! They were his W property YES.
another five minutes talk made it plain
that the pet hobby of this holy man was
cock fighting! We will call him Father
F. because it is not necessary to give
the name Of u kind host. Fairly
launched on his ~favorite topic, he talked
away for a full hour and was ut
terly amazed, not to say somewhat in
creduious, when informed that we had
never seen q professional tussle between
those birds so dear to his heart and
purse, and which he loved to see fighting
in the ring. But you must come with
me tomorrow afternoon said he; tho
people here all like it. and we enjoy the
harmless sport every Sunday afternoon.
He intended no sarcasm.
.Nolens volens, when Sunday after
noon came, our host, having laid aside
his sacerdotal robes after celebrating
high mass, piloted us to the scene of ac-
ton. The pit was in the interior court
yard of a private house. A circulas
fence of slender sticks surrounded the
carefully leveled ground dedicated tc
the carnage. Chairs surrounded it. and
a shed, matched with palm leaves, shell.
tered the spot from the scorching rays
of the sun. In gay attire the most re.
spected matrons and maidens of the
| place We're there, the performance being
r~ountenanced and partly provided by
the priest. A lively conversation was
kept up, all present being acquainted.
Che ROSTERS had been shorn of theil
| feathers, save those Of the wings and
tail. Each bird was weighed: thel
curved steel spurs We're secured to the
stumps of those provided by nature, but
which had been cut off. Quite suddenly
conversation ceases. Two birds are in
the ring. The struggle commences
Heads lowered, eyes glazing, quiverine
with rage, the heroes fly at each other.
Calculating that his opponent has
jumped too high. the other one crouches
avoids the blow and turns upon his foe
who stands firm. Both rise in the air
breast striking against breast, each striv
ing to deal his adversary a mortal blow
One is stabbed-he staggers. Proftinl
by this weakness, his adversary follow:
up the attack, but the wounded ON
keeps an eye on his enemy, and not be-
ing ready for him lodges, regains hi.
position and inflicts q wound. Both nov
have difficulty in keeping on their feet
though neither will yield. More wounds
are dealt. Both fall exhausted. On,
RECEIVERS, sees his foe PROSTATE. SO doe
not attack, but shakes his lowered heat
and claws the ground in his fury. I'm
patiently he thirsts for the life of hi
opponent, who, 10 less savage. regain'
his feet, and with glaring eyes watches
every move of his adversary.
''The enthusiasm of their owners ant
hackers increases as the wounds becom,
more numerous-the excitement is in
tense, and bets run high. The creature
engaged in deadly strife keepcooler tina,
the audience. A moment arrives whel
all the hackers talk at once. Five dol
lars more on the whiter Ten on tn
canelo' cinnamon color. The stakes d,
not exceed $50. At last one warrio
falls. Dead silence follows. 80 treat i
the suspense. Will he rise once more
Victor examines victim very distrust
fully, makes sure he is dead, then mount
ing on the PROSTATE form draws himsel
up with an exultant cry o. victory, jus
like some gladiator of olden times.
"All through the long summer after
noon one battle succeeded another. TIL
birds that survived were taken home I,
be carefully tended until restored enough
to fight again. Even those that had los
one or both eyes would fight il an oppor
tunity was given to them, for these bird