The Scranton tribune. [volume] (Scranton, Pa.) 1891-1910, 1901-05-18

| COCKS eat, drink ana sleep, Delng faS-
tened by a cord to a ring in the floor
Every morning they are taken out for
a run, one at a time, and each has half
an hour in the dirt box, to roll and
| dust himself.
| When not fighting they are fed once
| day, after sundown, when they have
all the wet corn they can eat, in in
| dividual pans set in the stalls. They
are then watered. and the inner rooster
being satisfied, each cuddles down in
| stall and goes to sleep. Their spurs
have been cut for their own comfort
in sleeping, and to prevent their hurt
ing themselves.
Queer Diet for BOOSTERS.
In trimming the combs a curious GUS
| tom prevails. The piece cut off is
sliced into bits with a jack-knite. and
| fed to its former own. who. with the
| blood dripping from its newly shorn
crest devours it with avidty, fire.
| quently clucking a cordial invitation
| to the hens to cone and join him.
| This is surely game Every we'll
arranged stable has a medicine chest,
with remedies for smallpox, diphtheria
and the various bird diseases, and the
cocks are carefully attended when
sick
On the eve of a fight the warriors are
fed on tortillas soaked in milk, and
raw meat with sherry. Very little wa
ter is given. the idea prevailing that
they bleed less if wounded The cocks
are seldom fought before they are two
years old. Many never live to fight
| a second time, yet they enter the arena
jauntily, with heads up, plumes wav-
ing and growing Justify. There is
something admirable in the general
department of the fighting cock. and
he seldom knows when he is clicked" :"
Some cocks go through five and six
battles, their wounds being clean cut
and easily healed on this account.
Lost gallOs are usually held in
small plaza, surrounded by seats, like
miniature bull ring. An orchestra
dlspenses lively music, while a peOn
stands in the ring and shouts at the
top of his lungs, announcing the next
event, and urging the spectators to
place their bets--in any amount from
20 cents to 500, or even more Heavy
players stake as high as $1,000 on IL
single fight. While the bets are maxi
ing the birds are weighed being sus-
pended from the scales by means of lit
surcingles. Each trainer has Il small
box. filled with knives, and from this
he now selects one. slender sharp as
a razor, and curved like Il tiny ma
chete. The length ranges from three
to four inches. according II the weight
of the bird. The trainer tries the knife
on his palm, cOolly lifting the skin
with its point, and finding one to his
liking, fastens it to the birds right
foot, which has first been wrapped
with a piece of soft leather at the
ankle. Knives. rejected for one reason
or another adorn the trainers ha!,
tucked back of the banl, ana some
times. during a hot contest, he grabs
his hat eXcitedly and cuts himself
Encouraging Birds to Fight.
The knives in place, the cocks are
patted on the back, pinched AMI |, kei
at each other, or allowed to peck once
or twice at some outsider to make
them mad. Some trainers, from mys-
terious motives, spit on their heads.
Meantime n square has been dra Wn on
the ground and qua, tered. The birds
are put down at corners, dagonally Cp-
poste, and let go. They ny at each
other, and not infreIuently one drops
at firsts hook. The battle seldom last.
over one to two minutes The proof
of birds being unable to go on Is
his inability to stand. Ii both fall
they are held up face to faca, aal If
each continues 20 show signs Of coa,-
bativeness it is called draw. The
rooster who turns tail and runs
away is at the mercy of the crowd,
who usually claim their prerogativc
and kill him with sticks. There is in
Variably dispute ut the eni Of Il fight.
but the judge gives his opinion, an
the combatants subsil".
\ singular feature of los gnllos is
the frequent ntroiuctions of what is
called gallo-gallinl, meaning a roos-
ter-hen. 1t is a rooster with the comb
and plumage of Il hen; and it has un-
falling advantage over its opponent,
mistakes his opponent until too late
to defend himself.
1t is not infrequent To see women of
the pueblo at cock fight, stalking
their money with the rest l. Is Curl
Gus sight The orchestra plays mer-
rily, the people eat, smoke, gossip ana
make their bets i'm the interim, while
fight follows fight in rapid succession,
Around the topmost seats are more
boosters, tied at intervals, Growing de-
family As they wait their turn.
Many men make cock lighting
business. When the fiesta is over in
one town the birds are tucked away in
their little basket-like receptacle and
shipped on to the next, The poor peOn,
with but one bird, frequently smuggles
him through in the third-class car,
tucked away beneath his blanket. The
birds get tame from constant handling
and lie still as mice.
Among the men who follow the roos-
ters are some wh) have lost fortunes
at the snort, but who refuse to aban-
don it, The gringo attending los gallos
for the first time is impressed by the