Year: 1860

Judgment, have shown far better taste Id keeping
them away FROM instead Of bringing them to, such
. scene. There were, ! have pleasure In stating
but two ladies in the throng; did know their
names would assuredly send them to you for "the
slow untiring finger Of scorn to point at for hay.
ing then and there been present. But know
them not and therefore pass on to the description
Of the fghts.


First, though, let me observe the difference Of
character displayed by the two animals in the
cages. The pretty black tiger, it was plain, had
been accustomed to be petted. The pretty crea-
ture sat quietly on its launches, looking around
with seeming amazement at the dense crowd Of
human beings every side of IT, as though it ex-
pected some one to approach and fondIe it.


But alas for human nature It was destined to
receive anything but gentle treatment. The two
bull mastiffs were brought in. Both Of them were
brinde colored, of different shades of darkness.
a partition had been placed between the bars Of
the cage to separate them at first from the tiger
and no sooner were the boards Of which it was
framed withdrawn, than the two dogs, either Of
whom must weigh double the number of pounds
the tiger does. and whose names are "Wolf Killer'
and "Forest Ranger" having, as / heard, an old
unsettled grudge against each other, instead of
attacking the tiger, proceeded to square ac-
counts'' and each gave the other a pretty severe
drubbing. By means of ropes and slip moose
they were separated, and the larger of the two
dogs was drawn from the cage.


confess / rejoiced at this, because it gave the
poor tiger better chance. Left alone with but
one antagonist, the tiger quietly awaited the at
tack, and as powerful dog sprang at its throat
it threw itself on its back using its teeth and claws
with such good effect as almost instantaneously to
deprive the dog of sight, and to nfict so severe
spinal injury upon as to render it quite incapable
Of doing any great mischief.


Then my sympathies were enlisted for the dog,
who in the agony Of the wounds in its eyes and the
back Of its neck, sought to allay the pain by roll
ing its head on the ground. had hopes that this
would have terminated the first fight and that the
tiger would have been declared the victor, but /
was mistaken: the poor creature had only received
a severe shaking and lay seemingly senseess on
the ground. After the lapse of few minutes it re-
covered and Withdrew to the other side Of the cage
when the other bull mastiff, that had been drawn
out, was again put in the cage and sprang with the
utmost ferocity upon the poor tiger, who adopted
its previous successful method of Defense and in
few minutes there was but little Of fight left just
then, in the dog; it, too, was withdrawn, and went
growing with agony to its kennel. This was the
darker colored of the two dogs.


The hyena all this time had been prowlng up
and down its cage, with bristling hair and ever and
anon swapping and showing its fangs.


But before proceed to the description of the
second fight, | must mention one circumstance
which exhibited in strong light the affectionate
disposition of the tiger. When the fight between
it and the second dog was concluded, the tiger
was left Just in front of the door Of the cage and
it being requisite to remove the tiger from the
position where it was, to open the door and take
out the dog, pole was used to poke at it but it
seized the pole with its claws and teeth and moved
not When its keeper approached, patted it on
the head and spoke coaxingly to it, the poor cre-
ature crawled few feet away from the door of
the cage, and the dog was taken out, having had,
as it afterwards proved, quite enough of fighting
for that day. And now for the affray between the
bloodhound and the hyena:


The latter seemed eager for the fight, as though
it smelled the battle from afar, yet appeared par
ticuarly enfeebled in its hind quarters. The blood
hound was large, powerful black dog. but he ex-
hbited no pluck; no sooner had the hyana given
him grub or two-true, they were Of no gentle na-
ture-than he fairly turned tail, and sprang high up





escape. The hyena, contrary to the character
usually given to animals Of its species instantly
ceased to exhibit anything like ferocty, and ap-
peared rather inclined to fraternize with the dog
than otherwise; but this was not permitted
rope was passed around the neck of the dog, and
he was withdrawn from the cage.


Again. was I disappointed in the hope that the
cruel scene was concluded. Not SO. The thirst
for cruelty was not quenched, and the second bull
mastf that had fought the tiger was introduced to
an acquaintanceship with the hyena.


The dog, however, had not forgotten the punish
ment it had received from the tigers claws, and
seemed in no manneri inclined to venture within the
reach of the hyena's jaws, which were opened in
threatening and unpleasant manner. This dog was
also withdrawn from the cage, and thus, thank
Heaven, ended scene such as hope never, in the
prosecution of my duties as your correspondent to
be again present at


The weather is cool (wind from the northward)
and agreeable. Public health excellent.


The BENZ. Carver and EIyira, from your port, ar
rived at Cardenas on the 2lst, the W. HI. Parker at
Matanzas on the 22d, and the @. Pendleton here on
the 9th ult. The A. A. Chapman sailed hence for
New Orleans, and the English brig Venus, from
Matanzas, also for your port, on the 9th nlt.


Ihope to again have this pleasure within ifty-si
hours, per DeSoto; and will therefore only add,
l am, as ever, 50