SC1896_FF1_027

25
Nothing else, was heard of, or talked about.
At lenghth the day arrived and a most favorable
one it was for the sport on hand. They were
to fight, the best six out of eleven - at least the
winner, had to come off conquerer 6 times to win &
my recollection is, that they fought eleven battles.
It was a most exciting affair. I never witnessed
men betting on any occasion, not even a race
track. As an evidence of the great uncertainty
of all such things, as well as games of chance
I will mention that in one of the battles, one
of the cocks, in very quick time cut down his adversary,
who seemed to be placed perfectly "hors
de combat" Do you give it up said the backer of
the victor? No said the other, he's not dead
yet. Tho' really, he appeared to be perfectly lifeless.
The proud Victor Cock, strutted round & about, with
a most majestic, proud & egotistical air; as
much to say, "Damn you, do you see how easily
I thrashed that "dominico rascal" - not satisfied
with all such exulting airs, altho' he was
first rate game, he jumped upon his prostrate
foe and crowed. This mean barbarous
bravada, was fatal to him, as well as to the purses
of his backers. The dying hero, could not
stand that. He had been cut down in the prime
of life & felt that his last end was near; he had
submitted, with all the Philosophy he could command
to the Shouts of Victory by the backers of his
enemy & to that enemy; exultation & proud bearing
around his almost lifeless body, but to be
trampled upon & crowed over, by his ungenerous
foe was too much, for a brave cock, even in
the last agonies of death to submit to: He summoned
up all his expiring energies - made a tremendous
effort - threw his foe off his body and
run one of his gaffs entirely through his head
which produced instantaneous death. There
was then a tremendous shout of victory on the
other side. The owner of the victor immediately