Gaffle

These birds, having been some time previous bereft of the weapons nature designed for their defence, are now fornished with gaffles, or artificial spurs, each of which is a polished steel blade , about three inches in length, half an inch wide at the base, curved slightly upwards, sharp at the point and on the upper edge, and firmly fastened to the leg by means of a clasp.

One sits with a harp at his lord's feet; another tames the wild hawk and trains him, teaches him with his little gaffles till the Welsh bird becomes docile.

Conkling and Me Too Platt, by putting the gaffles into President Garfield, ruptured the Republican party from narrative to neckband, and the Democrats won in a walk.

Now, sword or dagger, human arms are but artifical claws and fangs, tied on like false spurs to the fighting cock. So, we repeat, Oberlus, czar of the isle, gaffles his four subjects; that is, with intent of glory, puts four rusty cutlasses into their hands.

Blood doth not follow the law of the mountain stream, by getting more muddy as it descends; neither are men and women of the nature of the gaffled cocks we use to fight at the mains on the Inch of Perth, which send down their fighting propensities to the tenth gallinaccous generation.

He earned my contempt by carrying a pistol and drawing it on Senator Benton (known to be unarmed) in the Chamber, like a gaffled fowl in a cock-pit waiting provocation.

Gentlemen took great interest in the management of the cock, the skill of gaffling, the science of feeding and grooming, and the expertness in handling the fowl.

They would grapple till they were tired, then stop; but as soon as one would start for the bears the other would gaffle him again.