Year: 1859

The Cock Pit is circular building with rows
of seats raised one above the other, all round


twenty-five cents is paid for each person who
enters and although ten or twelve thousand
dollars year are paid to the government fol
the license for the place, yet am told the ssset
makes quite handsome revenue from the build.
ing, he receiving, besides the entrance money,
dollar for each battle fought in the pit. had
barely time to look around me and observe the
motley throng, which was composed of first
class Spanish merchants and members of the
most aristocratic families, as well as professional
gamblers, and oock-trainers and fighters, when
q bell was sounded three times and every one
except the two men who were about to fight the
cocks retired to their places. These two men
each held bird in his hands, which, after they
had allowed them to peck at each other two or
three times, they put down opposite each other
in the part of the pit in which two slips of wood
were imbedded in the ground in the shape OF q
cross, or rather they were placed across each
other. The two birds had their feathers clipped
from their necks and down their backs; ones
tail was al aaature1, the others was trimmed off
square and short. One was black bird, the
other q sort of brindle color, which heard a
man who spoke English, who was seated near
me call "gingerpile." The spurs were sharp
ened to the greatest possible extent, and | was
told that the spurs of each were OF exactly the
same length, and that there were not two oun-
ces difference in the weight of the two birds.


The two birds were scarcely out of the hands
of their trainers, before, with open beak, they
flew at each other with ferocity l had only
thought was possessed by wild animals they
struck at each other with their spurs until they
were apparently both exhausted all this time,
the most uproarious shouting was going on from
all parts of the building. Offers Of bets of large
amounts, and at heavy Odds were made in all
quarters. Occasionally, l observed person
seated opposite me, hold up finger, or give
nod, either OF which signi6ed that he accepted
the bet offered by some one seated near or he.
hind me. In my ignorance, could not dis
cover which of the birds, if either, had the ad-
vantage. They had at this time been taken up
by their respective trainers, who were busy re-
treshing them by squirting some fluid from their
months over their heads, necks, feet and into
their throats. "Cinco onzas para un peso:"
five ounces to dollar, exclaimed man seated
near me, and Immediately noticed the sign of
the raised finger on the opposite side. The two
birds were again placed opposite each other, and
renewed the contest with seeming fresh vigor
and this was repeated until one of them appar-
emily, accidentally, broke his leg, and lay help.
less in the pit; the other bird standing over and
pecking at his fallen adversary. The poor bird
still showing signs of fight" was not removed
from the pit, but placed again almost ON one leg,
opposite it's toe, who, with single spring. struck
him with both spurs in the head, knocking his
victim down lifeless. Such hullsbaloo as was
then raised, mortal ears never before heard
The dead bird was kicked from the pit, and the
losers of the bets walked round with their hands


filed with gold, paying it away with no'eha


lance had never before seen equalled.


l would then have gladly retired, but was as
sured that it would be impossible for me to
make my way through the dense crowd, added
to which the next battle was to be very famous
one-a bird having been brought from village
nine miles distant, whose blood and breeding
were highly boasted, and who was to fight the
champion of Guanabscoa; so turned, but only
looked long enough at the pit to see that one
bird was OF black color, the other of red.
turned away my head whilst they were fighting
and was afterwards told that the black bird had
been killed-Gusnabaco being again the victor
After this there was rush out of the people
from the village whence the fallen bird had beer
brought, and, getting in among them, was
fairly carried out off my feet among the throng