COCK-FIGHTING MAINS

Evening Star, Issue 18714, 16 August 1924, Page 20

COCK-FIGHTING MAINS

A CRUEL SPORT IN CUMBERLAND. Cock-fightfrs, who are probably more numerous in Cumberland than anywhere else, suffered severe reverse recently on a moor between the River Derwent and the River Allen and near Cockermouth, reports the ‘ Manchester Guardian.’ A large party were surprised and many of them caught by the Cookermouth police, who carried off the competing birds, steel spurs put on the buds’ natural spurs, and all apparatus necessary for the carrying out of a cock main on an extensive scale. It is ten years since the _ Cumberland police wore successful in a raid, although numerous mains are conducted at every holiday time. In this case the main toot place in the afternoon instead of at dawn, as is customary. It was unfortunate for the cock-fighting party that the police were within the ring of scouts posted to keep a. look-out. The police wore compelled to watch several, battles fought, and saw therefore the elaborate ritual that preceded the matching of the birds. Thus they beheld the birds being withdrawn from the bags in which they were brought, being blindfolded so that they might consent to being weighed on the scales, and them “heeling” with steol spurg by the “ pitters,” who act as masters of the ceremonies. In one instance a wounded bird lay on the ground while the pittor counted it out. In another case the birds , wore severely “ heeled "-—that is, had driven their steel spurs so far into each other's bodies that they could not extract them. The pitter then separated the birds. The main bad been iu progress a long time before the cock-fighters wore aware of the presence of the police. When the latter disclosed themselves there was a rush to cover in a plantation near by, but some twenty or thirty of the participants, finding themselves identified, gave up the struggle. The police took possession of all tho articles used.