3°6 
The Illustrated Book of Poultry. 
fowl, which abounds in the Malay peninsula, and also in Sumatra. The picture is the true colour, 
with all the minute accuracy of a Chinese artist’s brush — an exact likeness of a true jalla. But I 
don’t believe there is what you call a pure breed in India anywhere. The Bugis (pronounced 
‘Buggeese’), natives of Celebes, Borneo, Sumatra, and in fact all the Eastern Archipelago, fight 
cocks, and they all have their favourite colours, but few breeders or breeds as such exist — it is the 
colour, shape, &c., that gives the name. 
“ Malays rarely if ever cut combs, and never the feathers. There is no comb peculiar ; they 
are both tall and rose-shaped, though the best birds have generally high and singie combs. [This 
shows plainly its distinctness from the ‘ Malay’ breed.] 
“ Some birds live for years and win many matches, for generally one escapes altogether. Malay 
cock-fighting is really much less cruel than English ; a few minutes and the longest fight is over. 
The spurs vary in outline, some being straight, some curved, and some waved ; but all have edges 
as sharp as razors, and are in fact like blades of penknives fastened on. This makes the fighting so 
quick. It takes yards and yards of soft cotton thread, wrapped round and round in all sorts of 
ways, to keep the spur firm in loco ; and this is the first art of a Malay. The golok (a straight 
spur) is generally fastened under foot, close to the ground; the crooked spur in the natural position. 
They take a long time to heel the birds, and lots of people (friends) look at the position, and give 
their advice. All this time the money is collected on the mats — piles of dollars on either side — for 
they are very clannish, and if one side puts down a thousand dollars, the other must do so, or no 
fight ; that is, unless a quarrel ensue, and they strike each other. Many of the birds are care- 
fully trained. I have seen a man throw down a bird and hold out one finger two or three yards 
off, and the bird would fly at it and strike it ! The birds know their owners, and they handle 
them most dexterously. 
“Very few English engaged in the pursuit — I did not know above half-a-dozen that ever did ; 
there was some danger of rows, and few liked to have to do with it, though nothing like so bad as 
an English cockpit. I once went into the pit at Westminster, and was so disgusted with a main I 
never repeated my visit. I never saw a fight at Malacca ; they fight there sometimes, but it is the 
purely native states that make such a business of it. The Rajah of Siak, the first cock-fighter of 
his day (1825-6), once sent a deputation to me of five boats-full of officers, and about thirty cocks , 
with a pedigree to each bird ; they were various colours and various names, and fine birds all. It 
was quite a grand ceremonial. 
“ The birds are generally put out of hand on the ground by the competitors at say eight or 
nine yards apart ; but each man seeks to put his bird down at advantage, and there is manoeuvring. 
The result depends much on training. Some run under and others fly high ; it matters not how 
they meet, but meet they do, and strike home ! They often meet together high up in the air. I 
have seen — at different times, of course, and different birds — two cuts from Malay spurs, which, if 
they could have been done at once, and in one bird, would have quite cut the fowl in two pieces ; 
one cut going clean through the back deep into the breast, and the other through the breast deep 
into the back — so keen are the edges of these deadly weapons, and so dreadful are the wounds. 
Generally one cock at once falls dead or next door to it, so that the other has only to give just 
one peck and rise, and it is over ; but sometimes the dying bird lays hold of the unwounded one, 
and by a well-directed blow kills his assailant at once, and wins the battle. They are seldom 
touched after once let go, because, as I said, one is hors de combat. 
“ When the Bugis come to trade in the Straits the betting is very heavy ; and sometimes 
when a man loses all he has he becomes desperate — in Malay language, ‘ meng-a-mok ’ (Anglice, 
‘runs a muck’), and perhaps kills many. It is quite a royal affair when Bugis chiefs and Malay 
