The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1899-02-18

there are no chairs in the pit. An admis-
sion is charged. The fighting takes pace
once a Week-Sundays-door opening at
10 a. m. and closing al p. m. Away back
in 1885 1 spent 10 minutes by the side OF a
cockpit in Columbia, saw Two chickens
killed with steel spurs, and left, disguised.
On a visit in an official capacity TO the
Cuban cockpit a pair of birds were touhd
fighting, and they were left fighting ~
minutes later Americans who are experts
In this line say the chicken fighting here
is the fairest and cleanest they have ever
seen There are no steel gaffs used, the
chickens fighting with their own spurs, or
If for some reason the spurs are 100 SNORT
those from dead cock. that have been
followed out at the base, are fit over the
short spurs A panic on the New YORK
stock or Chicago wheat exchange cannot
equal the scene here when one OF the brds
make a fine flutter Men-there are no
women present-crowd to the side OF the
pit stand in chairs, talk like lightning and
gesticulate like mad. Ii is then they pet;
bet with different persons about IN the
audience, but put up no money. And when
The fight Is ended, the loser hunts up the
winner, instead of the back door, and pays
his loss.
The rules are different from those used
In America. and the birds are much small
err but they are game to the death AS al
the theater a box is reserved for the May
or Of the town at the cock fight
One of the most fascinating spots in
Cuba is the harbor of Habana al night
Besides the battleships, passenger and
freight steamers, foreign merchant vessels,
tugs. steam launches, and dozens of coast
ing sIoops and Iuggers, all with their many
lights. there are the three sizes of row.
boats-passenger boats. There seems TO be
no record OF how many there are of these,
but they are mum bered like cabs, from NO
/ I'D and / noticed No. 1887 These boats
will carry from 10 40 passengers, most
of them having a canvas covering over
framework a fourth of the boats length
from the stern Every boat has a salt, and
they are most skilfully handled The boat
men are a fine looking set of men, well
developed and active and quick as squr-
rels ID mast be a big boat to require more
than one man to handle il. On getting
passenger the owner will proceed to eXtri-
cate his vessel from a position that to the
Iayman seems hopeless; boats alongside
and in the rear, like cattle in freight car,
win be shaken off, the boatman running on
the gunwale and never having collision.
Then a few strokes of the oars that are
always ready for use, being tied with
rope to a stout peg instead of rowlocks
and he is clear. If there is a breeze, he
pulls rope that lets loose the sail with
out boom, and away you go. lantern
on the mast serves for headlight and sig
nal al night, and you see these dancing
back and forth crossing and recrossing,
now hidden behind larger
vessel now casting ray of
light on the iron beams Of the Maine-re-
mmding one of tirehies in low country
field on a warm night in May The
charges for transportation are higher than
travel IN the volantes in Havana and they
h. lot
the natives carrying vegetables, etc,
across the harbor, they are but few
cents. while a stranger who may seem
well-to-do will be charged a dollar TO visit
a ship in the harbor
The passenger steamers plying between
Habana and ports in Florida do not touch
land. 1hey save wharfage and quaran-
tine but il Is exceedingly uusatlst factory
20 the pa irons of these steamship lines
who are fovced 10 climb down bidders and
get into these boats that crowd che sides
of the ship ms soon as she ties 20 buoy
In the gale that began here yesterday
morning. the harb0r was so rough that one
OF the boats 10 land passengers was cap
sized.
one OF the largest ow-bO3ts i'm the har-
Dor is chat Of the quarantine officer. who
examines the papers of every vessel just
after they pass the Moro light. This is
the first boat snip can allow 10 come
alongside. Eight powerful men compose
the crew. and can pull her through any
kind Of weather. II one has~friends to
meet on an incoming ship he will be wise
TO get an army officer TO accompany hsm
to the quarantine, officers boat and then
TO accept tl,e hospitality Of Uncle Sans
civil officials who generally have a gov
ornment tug which win iaud officers and
their friends, usirlg a gang-planS instead
of "A ladder in, leaving the ship
To-day is cofd--,as cold as the average
November day in South Carolina. Two
blankets were needed last night, and fires