interest, that their songs and poetry are full of his
praises. The breed most esteemed is the produce
of Celebes. The Javanese fight their cocks, like
the Mahomedans of Hindustan, without spurs;
the Malays, Bugis, and Macassars, with an artificial
spur, in the shape of a small scythe, which, however,
notwithstanding its barbarous appearance, is
in reality less destructive than the form in use
among ourselves. .
Quail-fighting, more particularly among the Javanese,
is extremely common. The most famous
breed is brought from the island of LomboJc. It is
singular that it is the female, the male being comparatively
a timid and small bird, which is used in
these bitter, but bloodless combats.
The Javanese do not disdain to be amused by a
battle between two warlike crickets, called, in their
language, jang hr eh, nor hesitate to bet considerable
sums on the result. The little animals are excited
to the combat by the titillation of a blade of grass
judiciously applied to their noses !!
The puerility of the Javanese in matters of
this sort does not end here. They will risk their
money on the strength and hardness of a particular
nut, called the Icdmiri, and much skill
patience, and dexterity, are consumed in the selection
and the strife. At other times the combat,
which is to decide the fortune of the parties,
is between two paper kites j the object in this strife
being the fall of the adversary by the destruction
of its string. In a favourable day, fifty or sixty of
these will be sometimes seen hovering over a Javanese
city.
Other diversions, depending on the courage or ferocity
of animals, and independent of play, are common.
Among the Javanese, the most interesting of
these is the combat of the tiger and buffalo. The buffalo
of the Indian islands is an animal of great size
and strength, and of no contemptible courage; for he
is an overmatch for the royal tiger, hardly ever failing
to come off victorious in the fight with him. It must
be confessed that there is no small satisfaction in
seeing this peaceful and docile animal destroy his
ferocious and savage enemy. Neither are possessed
of much active courage ; the tiger, indeed, is a
coward, and fights only perfidiously, or through
necessity. On this account, it is necessary to confine
them within very narrow limits, and farther,
to goad them by various contrivances. A strong
cage, of a circular form, about ten feet in diameter,
and fifteen feet high, partly covered at the
top, is for this purpose constructed, by driving
stakes into the ground, which are secured by beino'
interwoven with bamboo. The buffalo is first introduced,
and the tiger let in afterwards from an
aperture. The first rencounter is usually tremendous;
the buffalo is the assailant, and his attempt
is to crush his antagonist to death against tbe