CHAP. XXXII.] COCK-FIGHTING AND FOOT-BALL. 269 



Of an evening there were more signs of life than at 

 the time of my former residence. Tom-toms, jews'-harps, 

 and. even fiddles were to be heard, and the melancholy 

 Malay songs sounded not unpleasantly far into the night. 

 Almost every day there was a cock-fight in the street. 

 The spectators make a ring, and after the long steel spurs 

 are tied on, and the poor animals are set down to gash and 

 kill each other, the excitement is immense. Those who 

 have made bets scream and yell and jump frantically, if 

 they think they are going to win or lose, but in a very 

 few minutes it is all over; there is a hurrah from the 

 winners, the owners seize their cocks, the winning bird is 

 caressed and admired, the loser is generally dead or very 

 badly wounded, and his master may often be seen pluck- 

 ing out his feathers as he walks away, preparing him for 

 the cooking pot while the poor bird is still alive. 



A game at foot-ball, which generally took place at sun- 

 set, was, however, much more interesting to me. The ball 

 used is a rather small one, and is made of rattan, hollow, 

 light, and elastic. The player keeps it dancing a little 

 while on his foot, then occasionally on his arm or thigh, 

 till suddenly he gives it a good blow with the hollow of 

 the foot, and sends it flying high in the air. Another 

 player runs to meet it, and at its first bound catches it on 

 his foot and plays in his turn. The ball must never be 

 touched with the hand ; but the arm, shoulder, knee, or 



