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Show 374 PERSONAL ADVENTURE8 that their costurne was admirably calculated to " render darkness still more visible." Hearing that next day there was some cockfighting coming off, at the further extremity of the town, towards the road by which we were to cross, I went to witness one of these spectacles for the first time; for, though I had never had any great taste for such sights, it was worth going to see, as an amusement of the people I was now among. The locality was a kind of circus, capable of containing perhaps five hundred persons. The seats were arranged in such an unusually steep manner, that all could ·witness the performances in the cockpit, without any obstruction from the persons sitting in front of them. The place \Vas crowded with people of colour, and in the pit were several 'vho held gamecocks in their hands, examining the birds with the air of accomplished and profound connoisseurs. In an armchair, elevated some t\vo or three feet from the ground, was seated a very old gentleman, whose hair was snowy white, and whose complexion was whitey-brown, and who was dressed in trousers and a jacket of white linen; his whole appearance being remarkably neat; whilst he displayed, in the discharge of his functions, all the dignity and irnportance of a magistrate. Over and ahove the buzz of voices, there was a shrill and continual IK CALIFORNIA. 375 cro\ving of cocks, 'vhich severely tried the tympanum of my ears. After I had remained seated here some time the spectacle comn1enced by two men going out' of the pit, and presently returning with a couple of gamecocks, having long steel spurs bouud to their heels. The old gentlernan whom I have described now rang a bell, and the two men, pitting the cocks against each other, let them go. One of them was killed in fifteen seconds, the spur of his antagonist having penetrated his breast. The spur is an instrument, in shape something like a scythe, and about two inches long. I \Vas cruel enough to feel disappointed at this expeditious despatch of matters; for I had expected to behold a protracted fight; but, having no curiosity to witness another display, I quitted the amphitheatre, to which the price of admission, I should have stated, was only five cents. As I was returning to my hotel, I encountered a crowd of persons running after a bull up the street, the anin1al being secured by a rope tied around his horns, the other end of which was held by one of the natives, a part of it encircling his wrist. The poor thing seemed driven aln:ost to desperation ; and his fury 'vas further exc1te.d by several urchins, who waved blankets before his eyes, and set dogs on him, 'vhich barked n1ost energetically, but turned tail as soon as the bull |