The Atlanta constitution., 1902-12-22

tard the Development of the Haitian as
mas his passion Tor cock lighting.
To say that the island Is AN island
wherein that somewhat barbarous form
of sport is the sol. and only hobby OF
the entire population. men, women az i
children is hat la convey only the fdiu,-
est coneeireahle impression of the real
state OF affairs.
Henry Christophe the only ruler who
managed "a maintain even the stmniance
OF tranquility for any considerable lenBtn
of time among his subjects, accomplish
ed his seemingly impossible t4Sk =
numuurius 40 the full the national frenzE-
The establishment of a big free cock
pit at POrt-aU-Priucc 10y Solouquc. Wa~
the immediate cause of that aStute
savage being elected king" Boyer owed
his downfall to au attempt 10 prevent
The Introduction OF any more Slnc-cochs
into the already ovcrstocktd island
Even ID this very day vessels are ire
quently detained IN the htrhor or tAe
capital itself for days or even weeks
together. at great expense 10 the owners.
because all the laborers available Tor
loading and unloading. as lh" ease mas
be- are away at some big tourn3mrnt OF
other IN the TAR interior oi tHt l~ldhu-
The production of eopra. almost the
sole wealth. OF hundreds ol the South sea
islands. Is seriously .utertrrva with OWNS
surf swimming.
surf swimming. il m3y bo explained. is
"a species oi sport which is ,ul1r 10
the kanakas. and il owes. couhJiess'
much of the tremendous fascination IL
has to them 20 th- spice ~ danger there
is ia IL.
Choosing "a day when the wind is blow
ing fresh on 10 the land. tnv entire popu-
latiou repairs 10 the beach. each luol-
Nidual carrying q 1sal plank about SIX
At a gwen signal they au plunge into
tine sea, ana. pushing t4ci- boards in
front OF them. swim Jlt sell beyond lhe
range OF thc giant 'aclhc rollers th@t
come sweeping one after anothcr mdjc~-
ucally shorewaTd. 94ul they break lN
clouds OF spumius foam ON the rugged
The game consists in riding in on The
summit Of one oI the biggest O4 these
rollers slippins back into the trough just
10 slip back the fraction of second
TOO soon is accounted awkward and cow
ardly. and is greeted 10y the assembled
multitude with cries Of diSdppfoNdi pt. Oh
deriSion: while. ii t4a swimmer delays
doing So for lie fraction of "a second TOO
Ions. he will be caught I'm TIE CURING
crest whirlcd over and over. and dashed
Senselc~s and bleeding ou the JdsSed
Even white men SO almost mad with
excitement over these contests. and DO is
small wonder. therefore. tnat the isno-
rant natives neglect an else for ihtm al
times.
for lengthy period can form even the
fainteSt conception OF the manner IN
which the brutal and demoraizing
sport" of bun lighting has bitten into
the very vtalS of the national life
To very considerable proportion OF the
people indeed. wumcu as well as men. u
is not merely form of recreation. IL is
the very breath Of their nostrilS. the be-
an and end-all ~ their existence.
They work. when they do work. 10 get
the next ''show." They reckon time, not
by weeks or by months. bat by the pc
riod that must necessarily elapSe be
tween each successive killing.
The mataGor of the hour is more
popular as wen as. among the multitude.
at all e,entS far more important per
sOnage than even the king himself.
Not cities alone. but eutir5 provinces.
will migrate 30. -. 80 miles. .'nd remain
a week or more absent from their homes
and their occupations. IN order 90 he
pYeseut at some more than ordinarily big
fight"