Game monkeys

Stumbled upon an interesting story from history. Jacco Macacco was a fighting ape or monkey who was exhibited in monkey-baiting matches at the Westminster Pit in London in the early 1820s. He achieved some measure of fame among the sporting community through his reputed prodigious record of victories against dogs.

The photo is a match of Jacco's most famous fight, against the equally well-known bitch Puss, seems to have marked the end of his career: he may have died as a result of injuries received during the match or of an unrelated illness sometime afterwards. Makes me curious to weather these monkeys got any gameness in their blood and if so how well would a monkey do against a pit bulldog??

 

I thought they gave the monkey a stick

 

I am not sure if it was the same monkey that Scratch Paterson is speaking of but I know one they gave a piece of wooden dowel to and the cheating little bastard would jump on the dogs back bite on the back of the neck and smash the head with his club. I think he ended the fights quickly and I am sure if it went for some time say a hour plus I doubt very much the monkey would scratch. So as for a monkey being game I doubt it. Also who knows the quality of dogs back then. Most animals will run before getting killed except for a good game pit bulldog.