THE GAME FOWL. 233 



dollars : here the Indians assemble, and frequently bet on their 

 favourite Cocks the whole of what they are worth. The fate 

 of the gamesters is soon decided, for the Cocks being armed 

 with sharp spurs, one or the other is killed almost in an in- 

 stant." De Guigne's Observations on the Philippine Islands. 



But abstinence from Cock-fighting sometimes meets with its 

 reward : 



" The fort (at Achin) was but sorrily governed when I was 

 there ; nor was there that care taken to keep a fair corre- 

 spondence with the natives in the neighbourhood as I think 

 ought to be, in all trading places especially. When I came 

 thither there were two neighbouring Rajas in the stocks, for 

 no other reason but because they had not brought down to the 

 fort such a quantity of pepper as the governor had sent for. 

 Yet these Rajas rule in the country, and have a considerable 

 number of subjects, who were so exasperated at these inso- 

 lences, that, as I have since been informed, they came down 

 and assaulted the fort, under the conduct of one of these Rajas. 

 But the fort, as bad as it is, is guarded enough against such 

 indifferent soldiers as they are : who, though they have courage 

 enough, yet scarce any arms besides back-swords, cressets, and 

 lances, nor skill to use artillery, if they had it. At another 

 time they made an attempt to surprise the fort, under pretence 

 of a Cock-match ; to which they hoped the garrison would come 

 out, to share in the sport, and so the fort left with small de- 

 fence. For the Malayans here are great lovers of Cock-fight- 

 ing, and there were about one thousand of them got together 

 about this match, while their armed men lay in ambush. But 

 it so happened that none of the garrison went out to the Cock- 

 match, but one John Neclin, a Dane, who was a great gamester 

 himself; and he, discovering the ambush, gave notice of it to 

 the governor, who was in disorder enough upon their approach ; 

 but a few of the great guns drove them away." -Mr. Dampier's 

 Voyages, vol. ii. (Supplement.) London, MDCO. p. 184. 



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