SPORTSMEN ATTEND
300 Fowls
will be set up for the sportsmen at the Subscriber’s Hotel in Tewksbury, on Friday the 12 October, inst. at 8 A.M.
Gentlemen of Tewksbury,
Lowell and vicinity are invited to attend.
William Hardy.
“This placard was utterly unintelligible to me; and the Landlord laughed at my curiosity but good humouredly enlightened my ignorance by explaining that these shooting matches were so common in America, that he had no doubt I would fall in with them often. I regretted very much having passed one day too late for this transatlantic battle. It appears that these birds were literally barn door fowls, placed at certain distances, and fired at by any one who chooses to pay the allotted sum for a shot. If he kills the bird, he is allowed to carry it off; otherwise, like a true sportsman, he has the amusement for his money. Cocks and hens being small birds, are placed at the distance of 165 feet; and for every shot with ball the sportsman has to pay four cents. Turkeys are placed at twice the distance, or 110 yards, if a common musket be used; but at 165 yards if the weapon be a rifle. In both those cases the price per shot is from six to ten cents.”
There were other sports offered at the taverns, as shown by an advertisement in the Essex Register of June, 1806:—
“SPORTSMEN ATTEND.
The Gentlemen Sportsmen of this town and Vicinity are informed that a Grand Combat will take place between the Urus Zebu and Spanish Bull on 4th of July if fair weather. If not the next fair day at the Half Way House on the Salem Turnpike. No danger need be apprehended during the performance, as the Circus is very convenient. After the performance there will be a Grand Fox Chase on the Marshes near the Circus to start precisely at 6 o’clock.”
A woman tavern-keeper on Boston Neck, Sally Barton, of the George, also had bull-baiting as one of the attractions of her home. In 1763, the keeper of the DeLancey Arms in New York had a bull-baiting. The English officers stationed in America brought over this fashion. In the year 1774, there was a bull-baiting held every day for many months on what is now a quiet street near my home. Landlord Loosely,—most appropriately named,—of the King’s Head Tavern, took charge of these bull-baitings and advertised for good active bulls and strong dogs. One advertisement, in rhyme, begins:—