New-York tribune., 1905-04-23
PORTO RICAN SPORTS.
Cockfghting Indulged 4" as the
National Amusement.

National Amusement.
What the bunfght is to spain ana tne prlzsiisi'1 @
is To the United States. SO the oocAh.' - 70 t.e
island Of Porto Rico. For many years II las iOI.-
isbed and become so firmly fixed as the chlet d.
.'I. - ,to roonle that the stringent American
-, - a. the time Of the occupation have only
baaD erective I'm preventing the larger desalos
and caused the less pretentlous matehes 10 DC e@F
ried on in secrecy. But cocHnshtS sun TAKE pdcs
with great frequency though secleeS uelioU ~ 'a-'
the number Of spectators be limited TO avo'd de-
lection On nearly every Sunday and on holidays.
natives can be seen carrying sacks OF burap which,
IL stirred up a Iittle will emit a lusty crow
Before the laws were passed prohlDltlhg the sport
great tournaments were held at the 'galleras" Of
different villages at which crowds OF natives from
all the surrounding towns and country would be
present, bringing with them their faVorite fighting
roosters, and usually plenty OF coin 10 back them
up AT these "desahos" in the 'gallera' "a ring of
seats like the bull rings Of SPAIN not only would
come the barefoot poems and bet every cent they
had earned during the week In the canefelds
coffee plantations, but also the rich "hacendados'
attended and wagered considerable sums.
Now, however great has to be taken that
a khaki uniformed 'policia,' with revolver and
gun, does not swoop down on horseback upon the
performance aud arrest few Of the ringleaders.
When this happens # means a heavy fine or I'M
prisonment. For this reason great vigilance is al
ways kept and watches stationed along the
pcious person. The first time the writer heard OF
and rode to a oookhght without being invited.
the big bunch of spectators startled at the end Of
a fierce battle between two birds, dispersed and
left the conquered victim Topping around on the
scene of battle. Later however, when assured
that I not 4 policeman, they invited me 70 at
tend small tournament the following week
formed OF the place of meeting. a country house
about an hours horseback ride from the town
lhs next week, when three Of us, stopped our
horses at the spot indicated we found innumerable
saddle horses hitched to the trees and posts, and
a large crowd of natives hanging around waiting
cT ttI iisIiI, IN fS5r 6Hners rs rms g and Others
around ono leg. They all lively. with plenty
Of lighting blood; as they showed by their efforts
and neck and back feathers are always trimmed
closely, giving the birds semi-nuGe appearance
which AZ times is very ridiculous The owners OF
the birds and the spectators mostly o4Te1oot poems
IN clean white Sunday ducks ana 5hlIt5 mao come
from all the surrounding country 10 witness the
sport. While waiting. they stood Ground IN groups
discussing the merits aud qualities of each cock;
and forming imaginary matches with TINS one @ 8h9
scaTre6 yetarang Of fTdr1 one TO eight combats
with half i foot; all with very much peeked heaus
After a good deal OF talking, discussing and
qQarTeHing the owners OF two one-eyea, pro, RiEqS
had false spur, tied on with a string This one
Ioweu II seems ne had ALREADY a good RECORD as
a victor. The swarthy poems now grew greatly
all sorts Of gestculations shrugs and contortions
for which the Latin-Amercan is famous. had a
ioas} two ,S si o % & 20 ia it Gt''S S aS in the e -
delds the daily wage being from 40 to 90 cents
The owners soon neryOusly began TO prepare the
long spurs with their penknives, shipped Off the
little feathers their necks and backs and lastly
they s9lirte2 water from their mouths in sprays on
the codes Of Tie cocks so that they should begin
was appointed, wen as two sUb-tudges, 'colea-
dorss.' as they are called, who may be the two
beaten if either Of three things happens-if he is
p' 70 70 ~ ieIII " taaen Ken up Dy ms owner VINO
question wen any other minor ones which
The Spectators next formed a huge ring and the
ana allowed them 70 peck az and tnfuriate each
fury. Th9 frst few moments when the outcome
arms and gssfteuIating IdIt Tbs cocS 3Ia5 Irea
Up into the air, shooting out both with their
terrible spurs into each others bodies they pecked
they were tangled ana bloody mass Then one
bsgan 70 weaken and sure enough It was the ono
that the others false spur had fallen Off so that
ne wes PracQeally hgntlng with only q half supply
50 swift and sure that his antagonist began TO
as Il 10 aio and was aroused uoM ONLY o by e SSious
renewed aStaGfk OF the enemy Then he tried 10
the White ducks Of the spectators In spite Of two
and to prevent his being killed his owner took him
up. thus admitting that he had lost. The victor.
seeing himself alone in the ring. evidently thought
that he had done his adversary up to the last
grease spOl' and squaWked out feeble and
ludicrous crow. He was then borne away TO have
his wounds dressed by his owner as a cat cIeaDses
her kittens Naturally, the supporters OF the one
sPCrred victor were eXuitant and poured out much
excited Spanish while the losers were correspond
ingly glum.
After rest another fight was started. this time
between cock which still had mis- laurels to win
ana an old bird which already had come OF victor
in several battles. In a fierce combat the young
bird out declsiveIy by putting his enemy 10
q most undgnihed and hasty flight, chasing him
with neck and tail stretched out and wings eX-
tended. But that was not the only humiliation the
conquered birds master had to endure. He him
self was compelled 10 after and bring back his