The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1900-12-30

II. a
are running at one time, and in some
cases the stakes are high.
Upon some of the steamships the off,
GERS and sailors come down and join in
the gambling and l have seen Americans
both women and men, sit down with
these dirty Chinese to play. During my
last trip across the Pacific l saw the
agent of one of the big Milwaukee brew
cries lose 1897 at fan-tan, while very
pretty American widow. who was, / fear.
not as good as she should be, lost more
than $500 in tfle same way. This woman,
as well dressed and as nice looking as
any girl you will meet in six months
squatted down in her Paris-made dress
on the deck of the steamer with piles of
silver dollars before her, risking from 80
to $40 at a time on the cash under the
bowl The sight was a disgraceful one,
and the fact that gambling is permitted
on steamers carrying the american flag
Is disgrace to the United States. 1
heard it limited that the Chinese keepers
of the game paid proportion Of their
winnings to the American officers, and
the latter told me that the Chinese must
be permitted to gamble or they would
take other boats.
Gambling is forbidden by law In China.
There are many people who denounce 1t.
and many who would no more think of
gambling than a Presbyterian parson
Woulu Oh DettlUs on a morse race. ddru-
bling, however. is tolerated by the off,
Gals, who make money out of it by levy
ing blackmail upon such houses. Indeed,
there are gaming shops right at the doors
OF some of the government Offices, They
are to be found In the back and side
streets and sometimes In the business
streets.
Many sporting houses are conducted by
joint stock companies and some by pri-
vate parties. 1t is against the law for
women to open such houses, but the flower
boats of Canton. the most gorgeous pal
aces of sin to be found in Asia. are ac-
customed to have such games, and they
go on in secret in many such establish
ments upon land
Gambling for Meals.
Nearly every other cook shop In China
is gambling shop. Here You risk your
money as to whether you will get double
the portion you pay for or nothing. Upon
some of the restaurant tables are bamboo
tubes as high around as tin cup. and
about foot high, each containing sew
eral long sticks of the size of a crochet
needle. On the end of each stick are little
dots of ink spots similar to those on dice.
The man who wants a meal pays so
much cash for a chance. The tube is
shaken and he pulls out certain number
of the sticks. If the dots on these are
the winning ones. he gets double the
amount of his money in food: If not. he
gets nothing. ] have seen cake peddlers
juggling such sticks on the wharves Of
Tientsin among the coolies who were I'M
loading the vessels 1t was at lunch time,
and each of the laborers had perhaps a
cent or two to spend for his lunch. In
nine cases out of ten he would bet with
the peddler. taking the chance of getting
two big cakes or going hungry.
Another method of gambling is with
three short sticks. The gambler ties a
piece of money to the end of one of the
sticks and grasps the three sticks in his
hand so that the money is concealed
The gambler fastens an equal amount
to the other end OF one OF the sticks. IL
he puts IL on the stick on which the
money of the dealer is he wins; other
wise he loses. In this case the man who
runs the game has two chances at win
ming.
One of the most common ways Of bet
ting here Is with oranges. You see this
going on at the fruit stalls and also in
private houses. The bet is on the number
of seeds in an orange. Sometimes 1t Is
as to whether the number is odd or even.
and at others as to the exact number OF
seeds the orange contains. II at fruit
stand the dealer will pay the lucky
guesser five times his debt, but the loser
must pay the value of the orange and
also Ave times as much as he has
wagered.
they Fight Quails and Crickets.
There is little gambling on horse racing
except at the open ports and at Hong
kong Bird fights and insect fights take
the place OF bull fights and races. There
is some lighting in the interior. and almost
everywhere there are guam fights and
cricket fights.
Quail fighting is done on table with a
little fence about its edge. The fighting
quails have been starved for some time.
As they are put into the pen few grains
OF rice or wheat are laid before them and
they at once begin 20 fight over them
They ere trained for the purpose. and
good fighter is worth 800 and upward.
II Is the same with the crickets. Their
prize rings are little bowls. The crickets
have been trained. They seem 10 under
stand their masters word, and they are
urged on TO the combat with straws. Some