GAME COCKS. ' 219 



go beyond it, ia some instances, that I have seen with my information 

 own eyes ; yet an English sailor, though he could probably '^^/^'J^^^g^f^^';^^^ 

 climb a rope better, could notu<7?^ce upon one, as I have seen -^^^ ^^^ ^a- 

 the people at Sadler's Wells. The superiority, therefore, of nagement of 

 the South Sea Indians in wrestling, boxing, and rowing, 1 at- ^^'^^ *^" 

 tribute merely to practice. It was also in their own -way that 

 Cooke's sailors contended with them. In a fair boxing-match, 

 I have not a doufct bat Mendoza or Humphries would have 

 triumphed over at least twenty of them in succession. By the 

 way, from what I have learned of amateurs, respecting these 

 pugilists, no persons can lead more dissolute lives, except in 

 the article of exercise. With this exception, that those 

 among them who drink moderately (and moderation with 

 them is free-living among other people) are the strongest. 



On a subject where I am more at home, my observations 

 will lead to the conclusion, that the simplest mode of living is 

 the most conducive to bodily health and strength. Though very 

 young when I pursued cock-fighting, from nice observation, 

 which enabled me to judge of a good cock, and from a rational 

 mode which I fell into of treating them, I haidly ever lost a 

 battle, even against odds ; but I will pursue the subject in your 

 own order. 



1st. There is not a doubt but that the sterling courage of 

 an English game cock depends upon y^arentage. It is a maxim 

 in the cockpit, that if a cock has, what they call a spice ofthe 

 dunghill, though ever so remote, when he is galled by the spur 

 he will run. I remember seeing a mo ;t famous cock, about 

 eight years old, and who had in his time won forty battles, run 

 at the last, when severely galled. A dunghill however fights 

 harder for a round or two than a genuine game, whose courage 

 is of a mo:e temperate cast, and this very famous cock was 

 an instance, who generally killed his antagonist with a stroke 

 or two, 



A true game-cock is, however, so well known by his marks, 

 that sportsmen will rarely be mistaken, My mother has bought 

 a clutch of chickens at the door, and I have selected from them 

 one o( two by my eye, which have proved incomparable. One 

 of these chickens gained ten battles in one day, the last against 

 on old cock, double his weight, and after mine, which was 

 but a stag (that is one year old) had been cut down to the 

 g^round, and was counting out, that is, given up for dead. 



Large 



