Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1906-08-08
MALAYAN BULL FIGHTS.
Less Exciting Than in Spain, but Lots
Of Sport for the Natives.

Less Exciting Than in Spain, but Lots
Of Sport for the Natives.
From the Pail Mall Gazette
A Malayan bull fight, in contrast to a
Spanish bull fight. Is comparatively tame
affair. There is little Of show or pageant
about 1t: no huge inclosed ring with Its
tiers and tiers Of seats filed with fashion
able Spanish beauties in graceful mantillas
waving multi-colored fans: no poor blind
folded horses to be tortured no picadors.
no dart-planting banderilleros and no es-
padas to risk their lives 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
or to the combat by having 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.
It is, in fact. bull fighting au naturei,
stripped Of all artificial cruelties, and, II
less exciting is infinitely more sporting,
though to Spaniards. all elements of per-
sonal danger being omitted. 1t would doubt
less seem a deadly dull affair.
Bidden by the sultan to a bull fight, l
2 o'clock. but the sultan did not put in an
appearance until 4 o'clock, the lateness OF
his arrival being really only custom, for
whenever any show of this sort Is on the
hours too early. Just outside the old
chiefs house, where we assembled, was the
ring, a primitive arrangement, merely an
open earth space not fenced In any way
All round the circle squatted motley
crowd of about three or four hundred ma
tives. who had put on their best "bajas"
and ''sarongs' for the function.
The bulls were led in by the nose each by
a Malay, and when within a few yards of
each other let 60 and given shove. They
met with a crash, and then followed a
pushing match, their horns for the most
part being locked together, with break
away now and again and then another
bump together. The two bulls in this case
were badly matched-father and son, the
latter q much more powerful animal with
stouter horns. The fight lasted only about
and Ned, chased by his son. A general
stampede took place, after an opening had
been forced, every one rushing after the
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 bet
to-. sport than the other, as the buffaloes
were Immensely powerful brutes and very
well matched the fight lasting about ten
minutes before one got a wound in the cor
ner of his eye and in consequence abruptly
turned tail and was chased off the ground
by his opponent. In these fights one buf-
falo always defends his home and will only
fight when another comes into his own par
ticular haunt
In nearly every case the one defending his
home proved the victor, spurred on, sup
pose, by patriotic feeling. AS the fight last
ed only short time, the sultan sent for an
other couple of buffaloes, but when they ar
rived, after a twenty minutes wait, they
absolutely refused to fight and were obliged
to be led away again. When buffaloes are
really well matched, as in the first fight,
there is great excitement among the Ma
lays, but in the ordinary way one buffalo
turns tail after few minutes charging
and snorting and the whole thing is over.