The Stark County Democrat. [volume] (Canton, Ohio) 1833-1912, 1906-08-14
MALAYAN BULL FIGHTS.
Less Exciting Than in Spain, but
Lots of Sport for the Natives.

@SSo IMAM III Spdllr Out
Lots Of Sport for the Natives.
A Malayan bull fight, in contrast to
Spanish bull fight, is comparatively
tame affair, says the Pail Mall Gazette.
There is little, of a show or pageant
about it; NO huge enclosed ring with
its tiers and tiers of seats filed with
fashionable Spanish beauties in grace
full mantillas waving multicolored fans;
no poor blindfolded horses to be tor
tured, no picadors, no dart planting
banderilleros, and no espadas to risk
their life In so-called sport.
In Malaga the bulls and buffaloes
only follow their own natural instincts
and fight with their own kind, without
being goaded ON to the combat by hay
ing darts plunged into them, and
horses not being used there are none
Of the brutal and disgusting sights too
often witnessed in Spanish bull ring.
1t is, in fact, bull fighting au naturel
stripped of all artificial cruelties, and
If less exciting is infinitely more sport
ing, though to Spaniards, all elements
of personal danger being omitted, 1t
would doubtless seem a deadly dull
affair.
Bidden by the Sultan to bull fight,
l arrived at the appointed place due
to time. 2 o'clock, but the Sultan did
not put in an appearance until 4
O'Clock, the lateness of his arrival be-
ing really only custom, for whenever
any show of this sort Is on the time
is invariably given about a couple OF
hours too early. Just outside the old
chiefs house, where we assembled,
was the ring, primitive arrangement,
merely an open earth space not fenced
in any way. All around the circle
squatted a motley crowd OF about
three or four hundred natives, who
had put on their best 'bajas" and "sa,.
rongs" for the function.
Te bulls were led in by the nose,
each by a Malay. and when within a
few yards of each other let go and
given a shove. They met with
crash, and then followed a pushing
match, their horns for the most part
being locked together, with a break
away now and again and then another
bump together. The two bulls in this
case were badly matched-father and
son, the latter much more powerful
animal with stouter horns. The fight
lasted only about six minutes, when
pa" bull turned tail and fed, chased
by his son. A general stampede took
place, after an opening had been
forced, every one rushing after tho
bulls to secure them and bring them
back for their wounds, which were
very slight, to be examined.
Next day / went up river again to
the place fixed on. This show gave
much better sport than the other, as
the buffaloes were immensely powerful
brutes and very well matched, the
tight lasting about ten minutes before
one got a wound in the corner of his
eye and in consequence abruptly
turned tail and was chased off the
ground by his opponent. In these,
fights one buffalo always defends his
home and will only fight when an
other comes into his own particular
haunt.
In nearly every case the one defend
ing his home proved the victor,
spurred on, l suppose, BY patriotic
feeling AS the fight lasted only a
short time, the Sultan sent for an
other couple of buffaloes, but when
they arrived. after a twenty minutes
wait, they absolutely refused to fght