ipo TRAPPING WILD ANIMALS 



The bets are made and deposited with the stake- 

 holder. The choice of position is decided by the 

 drawing of one or two blades of grass held in the 

 umpire's hand. The owner who draws the short 

 blade takes the upstream position for his bull, while 

 the other bull faces him from downstream. The 

 setters-on then bring their respective bulls closely 

 up to have a good look at each other, slowly pass 

 about ten yards apart, and then bring them face 

 to face. The leading ropes are suddenly cast off 

 and the bulls dash at each other with fury and meet 

 head on with a resounding thud. In a second 

 their horns are interlocked, each trying by every 

 ruse and device to drive the other back on his 

 haunches or throw him over by main force. A 

 moment later the horns are disengaged to find a 

 new and a better purchase, and first one and then 

 the other will gain a slight advantage and both bulls 

 move this way and that from the center to the sides. 

 The people of the East are seldom supposed to 

 give way to demonstrations expressing emotion, 

 but while a bull fight is on the Malays yell them- 

 selves hoarse with shouts of encouragement and 

 approval, while the setters-on half mad with excite- 

 ment simply dance around the bulls. 



The varying tide of the battle carried the bulls 

 to the center of the circle, and the novice which 

 at first contented himself with simply resisting the 

 attacks of his antagonist now made his great 

 effort, pressing irresistibly forward, and bringing 



