In the Cockpit of Manila.

Manawatu Herald, Volume III, Issue III, 18 October 1890, Page 2

In the Cockpit of Manila.

I have not left myself much room to speak of the cockfighting Yet the great cockpit ol Manila at the <: Fiesta del Pueblo " was one of the most remarkable spectacles I have ever seen. Imagine a huge circus with an arena raised to the h ••■light of the faces of those standing ; behind them tier upon lier gradually rising ; above the arena which is enclosed with fine wire netting, the rod draped box of the farmer — the leading Chinaman of Manila, named Palanca ; and a packed audience of four thousan i people. Squatting on the earthern floor of the ring inside, the wire netting, are the habitues, half Chinese and half Mestizos, while the officials walk about— the " juez de justicia" or referee, the " sentenciador" or umpire, the "casador," go-between, or betting master, and several others. Then two men enter the ring, each carrying a bird whose spur is shielded for the moment in a leather scabbard. One wears his hat — he is the owner of the challenging bird, called <; Llamado ; " the other, hatless, is is the outsider, or " dejado" who takes up the challenge. An official calls out the sum for which the " Llamado's" owner backs it, and much is still lacking to make up the sum. Then comes the most extraordinary scene of all. The moment the words are out of his mouth it rains dollars in ihe ring. From those inside, from those who are within throwing distance apparently from everywhere dollars pour in, without method, without ownership, without a bargain, so far as one can j'dge amid deafening clamour. "Whan the sums on the birds are equal tho betting master shouts "Oasada!" "matched," litera \y " married ;" the farmer from his box on high yells ', Larga !" —

I " loose them" and the fight i egina. Sometimes it lasts ten minutes, sometimes only a second, the first shock leaving one bird a mang'ed corpse. No use to describe it — every one knows how a gamecock fights, and that it is the very gamegfc and p uckiest thing that lives. Th-< tight ovnr, the betting master goes round handing money back rockes-ly, so it seems, to anybody "who h -Ids out a hand. I asked Tenov P.«lanca how betting could possibly bi' cti'ried on like this. He re pi es that eacli one a Q ks for or takes 'he sum that belongs to him. But if anybody should put out his hand for another's money? ll© gave me to understand that it was never done, and that if anybody were detected doing so he would probab y have a dozen knives in his body on the spot, In the course of the afternoon I witnessed 105 cockfights, and won twenty dollars by diopping four into the ring t> see what would become of them. The authorities make a large revenue from the cockpit. For this and one other Seuor Pa'anca pays 68,600 d 'liars a year, and there are five other farmers. As I said, it is the chief in i crest of the people, and their excitement tells how deep the interest is: — Bud/j<>l .