The daily morning journal and courier. [volume] (New Haven, Conn.) 1894-1907, 1905-04-29

leaders. When this happens 1t means
heavy fine or imprisonment. For
this reason great vigilance is always
kept and watches are stationed along
the roads to give warning of the arrival
of any suspicious person. The first
time the writer heard of and rode to
see a cockfight. without being invited,
the big bunch of spectators, startled at
the snd of fierce battle between two
birds, dispersed and left the conquered
victim loppingff around on the scene of
battle. Later, however, wlrlGl assured
that was not a policeman, they inyi-
ted me to attend small tournament
the following week. I was warned to
KEEP quiet about it, and was informed
of the place of meeting, country
house, about an hours horseback ride
from the town where ! lived.
The 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 for the sport to begin. We en-
tered the yard and found that several
SOChS ilctu dlISduy clIllNsuI oolilS IIoHN
ing Justify in their owners arms, and
others struggling to loose themselves
from a string tied around one leg. They
all were liwsly, with plenty of fighting
blood, as they showed by their efforts
to get at each other As is the custom,
the combs and neck and back feathers
are always trimmed closely, giving the
birds a semi-nude appearance, whichsat
times is very ridiculous. The owners
of the birds and the spectators, mostly
barefoot poems in clean whita Sunday
ducks and shirts had GONE from all the
surrounding country to witness the
sport. While waiting. they stood around
in groups discussing the merits and
qualities of each cock, and forming inn
J aginary matches with this one and that
= one. Some of the birds were young,
who had never been through fight,
while others were battfs SCARED yete-
rams of from one to eight combats;
some with one eye or a broken spur,
and others with half foot; all with
very much peclcsd heads and necks..
After good deal of talking, discuss
ing and quarreling the owners of two
one-eyed birds agreed upon a match.
One Of the birds, in addition, had a
false spur, tied on with a string. This
.one proved to be the fayorite in the bet
3 ting that followed. 1t seems he had al
ready a good record as victor. The
swarthy poems now grew greatly excl
ted, making wagers, accompanying
them with all sorts Of gesticulations,
shrugs and contortions for which the
Latin-American is famous. / had a
chance to form partnerships in bets
from twenty-five cents, to six dollars.
The sum of six dollars to an ordinary
peon means at least two weeks of work
with hoe in the canef,slds, the daily
wage being from forty to fifty cents.
The owners soon nervously began to
prepare the two cocks for the conflict.
They sharpened the long spurs with
their penknives, shipped off the little
Fathers on their necks and backs, and
lastly they squirted water from their
mouths in sprays on the bodies Of the
cocks, so that they should begin the
struggle fresh. A "juez de campo"
field judge was appointed, as we'll as
two. sub-judges, "coleadores," as they
are called, who may be the two owners
j or those they may appoint. A bird is
called beaten If either Of three things
happens-if he is killed, put to flight or
taken up by his owner, who sees that
he is sure to lose and does this to pre-
vent the killing Of his bird. The judges
decide this question as well as any 9TH
& er minor ones which may come up.
| The spectators next formed a huge
ring and the two owners with the birds
in their arms advanced and allowed
them to peck at and infuriate each 9TH
err before turning them loose Then
they were put down and n a flash were
at each other with fury. The first few
moments wwllen the outcome was UNI
certain the excitement was intense; the
natives shouting, yelling for bets. wav
ing their arms and gssticulating wild
! ly.,The cocks tapped up into the air
: shooting out both feet with their terri
; BILE sprus into each others bodies; they
. pecked yiciously at each others head'
1 and necks until they were a tangled
n and bloody mass. Then one began t.
. weaken and sure enough it was the ont
Y with the two perfect spurs. In spite o
, the fact that the others false spur hat
v fallen off, so that he was PRACTICAL.
, fighting with only half supply o
jweapons, his thrusts, jabs, digs ant
: aspeks were so swift and sure that hi
e antagonist began to succumb. Ssvera
: times he lay down on the ground as i
! to die, and WAS aroused only by wi
' cious renewed attack Of the enemy
! Then he tried to run and scuttlet
l around in circles, wiping blood on tn,
. white ducks of the spectators. In spite
} Of two recesses, however, it was clear he
I was done for, and to prevent his being
: killed, his owner took him up, thus ad
hitting that he had lost. The victor
= seeing himself alone in the ring, evi
? IDENTIFY thought that he had done his ad
,versary up to the last grease spot ant
tso squawked out feeble and ludicrou
crow. He was then borne away to have
his wounds dressed by his owner as
, cat cleanses her kittens. Naturally the
; supporters of the one &spurred veto,
j We're exultant and poured out much ex