RED JUNGLEFOWL 201 



for rest. The first day, the first pant is 20 minutes, the second 30, the third 40, the 

 fourth 50, and the fifth 60. On the second day (or 2iny panJ after the fifth) twtvy pam 

 is 60 minutes. On the first day, the match may commence at any time between two 

 and four o'clock, usually the second hour. On the second day the match must com- 

 mence at two o'clock. An antagonist failing to come to the scratch when time is called, 

 or, to turn up at the correct time loses a pant. Say A. and B. make a match for five 

 pam. A. sees his cock getting the worst of the encounter ; he claims a pmzi. The fight 

 is stopped for twenty minutes while both pitters spout their cocks, etc. A., however, 

 has now only iouv pam to his credit, while B. has still five. The cocker who first loses 

 his ^Ytpanl is counted the loser, and has to pay. Though the duration of tdich. pam is 

 fixed by scale, no limit is fixed for each round in fighting. Written rules are not drawn 

 up ; custom alone rules] — with a dalba — [dalba is a weak barn-door cock or an inferior 

 game-cock, kept for a young game-cock to bully. Chuttha is a quail kept for a fighting 

 quail to bully] — to see whether it has improved in condition or not. If it has improved, 

 then keep it at this weight and condition. If it has disimproved, fight it again, fat, thin, 

 and medium, and observe in which condition it fights best and keep it in that condition. 

 Every week increase the number of rounds with the dalba by one, till the number of 

 eleven pa^ii is reached, which is called by cockers lam. 



''An ointment for dressing is compounded — [I have omitted the tedious details of 

 weights and measures (W.B.)] — of zeodary, cassia bark, rennet, pomegranate-rind, 

 white cumin seeds, Indian madder, gall oak, betel-leaf juice, and a 'sufficiency of 

 double-distilled wine.' Grind these all up, beat in the wine and betel-leaf juice and 

 anoint the cock's face. 



"Just before battle give a cock the following: syrup of sweet pomegranates, 

 preserved apples and quinces, barberries, cucumber seeds, endine chicory, and bel fruit. 

 Grind, add the pomegranate syrup ; roll into pills, cover with gold and silver leaf, and 

 give to the cock ; after one ghari [about half-an-hour] go to the cock-pit and fight your 

 cock. If you find a lack of fire in the cock, give it half a htshjalebi [a sweetmeat made 

 of milk, flour and sugar], pepper-corns, and the tgg of a red fowl, mixed with the juice 

 of garlic and the juice of green ginger. Next, tying up the spurs with cloth, and then 

 spouting the bird, make it fight. It then rests with the cocker to make or mar the 

 bird. 



" In the author's opinion the best birds have thick, powerful beaks, white, as 

 described above ; the eyes white, like lustrous pearls ; large jaws and head ; a small 

 comb ; the tUlan bone is conspicuous ; the neck short and the neck-bones small, fine, 

 and the ridges small, fleshless, and strong as an iron rod ; and the back broad like the 

 stone of a hand-mill ; the feathers spotted, and beautiful, like the eye of a peacock's 

 feather. The bird should be handsome, and shapely, and active, and quick as a cobra 

 in movement ; and in fighting it should be hama-glr [attacking any part of an adversary's 

 body with the beak], and retiring after a blow, so as to avoid its adversary's counter; 

 and should it receive a blow, it should so retaliate as to lay its adversary at its feet in 

 the throes of death, fluttering as though its throat had been cut. 



"To make the young cockerel strong and fit for battle. When the cockerel is four 

 months old the cocker should separate it from the mother and make it familiar with 

 him, and give it daily two almonds mixed with ata [coarse wheaten flour], and feed it 



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