Animal Fights in Cashmere.

Te Aroha News, Volume IV, Issue 176, 30 October 1886, Page 5 (Supplement)

Animal Fights in Cashmere.

A correspondent of the "Homeward Mail," describing che animal fights which formed part of the festivities in connection with the metallation of the Maharajah of Caohmere, aays ;— Two huge water buffaloes, with ropes on their feet and a dozen men at each rope, were now introduced to each other, the crowd closing round them to within a few feet. Neither animal required any urging, but put his head down at once and butted. The shock of the opposing skulls rang like the sound of a hatchet on wood across the arena. Then both brutes laid head to head, and pushed and grunted and pawed and sweated for fire minutes, the crowd yelling madly meanwhile. The lighter weight was forced back into the crowd, recovered himself, butted again, turned sideways, and was again forced back. After a few minutes more, when each animal wa3 settling down to his work with whole-hearted earnestness, the order was given to separate them ; and very reluctantly the gigantic mussucka were hauled in opposite directions. Next came the fighting rams, spotted and shaven beasts, with Roman noses and rowdy visages, straining away from their owners and all apparently " spoiling for a fight." Two or three couples were let go together, ran back to gather way, came on and met ; ran back, charged again, and repeated the performance till the sound of their foolish colliding heads was almost con tinuous. After the first few minutes, when you begin to realise that neither animal ia likely to fall down dead, ram fighting is monotonous. Sometimes a ram runs back to his charge valiantly enough, and midway in the onset loses heart, turns tail to his antagonist, and flees to his master. The adversary, being a beast of honour, immediately pulls up and trots back to his master. One light-limbed doomba wich red spot* seems to be the champion of Jummu. Rischargegenerally upsetshisantagoniafc at once, and few of the rams care to stand a second. As soon as all the rams have been disposed of certain vicious shrieks and squeals gave evidence that the horses were being got ready, and the police set about widening the riog. Presently a bay Galloway and a black pony danced out, dragging their attendants after them at the end of a long rope. The instant they were let go they ran open-mouthed at each othev, turned tail to tail, and kicked savagely for five minutes, the black suffering moat. Then after the manner of horses all the world over, they |turned round and closed, each striking with his forehead and striving to fix his teeth in the other's crest. They squealed shrilly as they boxed and finally rose on end — a magnificent sight, locked in each other's arms. The bay, losing his hold on the black's poll, made a snatch at the black's near foreleg, which was at once withdrawn. Both horses then dropped to the ground together, and kicked and bit at cloee quarters till the bay fled with the black after him through the crowd. The settees ut the end of the drag-ropes were knocked over, scrambled up and caught at the ropes again, while the two maddened brutes plunged and struggled among the people. About half a dozen people were knocked over and shaken, but no one was hurt ; aud, after wild clamour and much running hither and thither, both bay and black were caught, blindfolded, and led away to r&appear no more.