The star. (Reynoldsville, Pa.) 1892-1946, 1900-04-04
y OCK.FIGHTING is tho ma
Z tional sport of the Filipinos,
> as baseball is in the United

rs baseball ls III tne Onlteu
States, cricket in England,
and bull fighting in Spain; it is in
aulged in by high and low, in hand
.omely fitted out pits and on the
sandy stretch in front of tho native
hut. No true Filipino is too rich and
proud to own choice assortment Of
eame-cocks, of long pedigree and mar
yellous capacity for fighting and en-
durance, AVID none is too poor to own
one Tor at least share) of more or
less claim to a fighting strain. In
the Filipino heart, the order Of his
affections is thus: first, his game
cock, next, money. then his wife and
family, and in close order general
desire for rest and taste OF the fiery
,iauor distilled from the spent storks
of the sugar cane on the plantations.
As much care and money, compare
lively, is spent in the Filipinos yearly
on the maintenance of game fowls
and fighting them as is spent here on
blooded horses and race meetings,
and far more is lost in the cockpit,
by those, able and unable to afford it,
than on all the horse racing in the
United States for whole season.
A native will bet everything he
possesses on favcrite bird, even to
the clothes on his back, aud il he has
nothing to bet, nc will steal it from
the most convenient source; were
they a race who took their troubles to
heart, the list of suicides every year
would be appalling; as it is they
simply shrug the shoulders and abide
their time until chance comes their
way. when they have been stripped Of
everything in the ups and downs OF
cock fighting. Cock-iights are held
in the largest cities as regularly as
theatres; Sunday is the day usually
chosen for the mains between birds of
pedigree, though fight is on some-
where every day, and if the cocks adj
vertised for that day are of any note,
the seats around the pit are usually
full, and when there is match be-
tween birds representing two cities or
provinces, the capacity of the build
ing is taxed to the uttermost, all
glasses and conditions of men and
women attend. the dissipation being
only limited by their purses. The
mains are advertised on the streets
with gaudy pictorial representations
of the cocks, just rs we advertise the
coming OF some great actor or prima
donna, and for days before and after a
big fight the conduct of the birds are
the sole topics of conversation high
and low.
The game cocks are raised and at
tended with the greatest of. care; every
attention is lavished upon them, and
they are the motive for about the
hardest work q Filipino ever does;
the pedigrees Of full-blooded birds is
registered as carefully we register
that of horse or dog; an association
of breeders attends to this matter and
arbitrates all disputes. To belong 10
this association is the highest honor
to which Filipino can aspire, as the
men are usually wealthy and it gives
high social standing.
As soon as they are able to walk
around, the cocks are kept separate
from one another, lest they receive
injury by fighting among themselves;
their diet is regulated with the ut
most care, being one calculated to de-
velop rs little fat as possible and as
much muscle as can be gained. Red
peppers, opium and raw rum is given
from time to time to make the birds
savage, and they are tantalized with
the sight of other cocks behind a
screen and are Taught not to be afraid
OF anything. Further instruction is
given by the patient trainers in strik-
ing with the gaffs and these are put
On every day to accustom the birds OF
the feeling OF them. Once in while,
cock is allowed to fight with low
bred fowl, to make it more fierce by
the sight Of blood and confident from
the easy victory obtained.
As q consequence Of oil this, when
bird is fit and ready to go in the pit,
it is savage in feathers, afraid OF
nothing, and viii fight as long as a
spark OF life is in its body, and seems
to rejoice to see the blood squirt from
the body Of its foe from the cruel
blows of the gaff.
The cocks arc always kept in con-
dition seve in the breeding season; as
u matter of precaution, the comb is
clipped close to the head, the legs are
plucked and shaven and the neck and
wings are trimmed as close as possi-
BILE; oil this is to make them less lia.
ble to being fouled in an encounter
and makes them lighter and more &C.
tive, and gives little holi for the beak
Or gaff of an antagonist. The breast
feathers are allowed and nre trained
10 grow as thick as possible, for on
:he breast most OF the blows are re-
,eived, the birds being trained to OPP
pose this thick cushion to the blows
Of q foe.
From long selection and breeding,
There is now race OF game fowls in
the Philippines which combines all
these points in q remarkable manner,
and next after courage shown on the
the fold of battle. bird is valued by
Il adherence to the standard. If q
bird shows cowardice in its first