The Stourbridge Observer, Cradley Heath, Halesowen & District Chronicle.
Stourbridge, West Midlands, England, 1878-02-02 00:00:00

A BULL FIGHT.

The Times' Correspondent also gives a description of the
bull-tight, which was witnessed by all the Royal Family, the
Ambassadors, and the grandees, and by 16,000 other
:peetators

"It was a brilliant affair. First came the cortege,
which was brilliant, even after that of which I have
already spoken; the Royal drummers and trumpeters,
the gala carriages of the Dukes of Sexto and Santona,
the caballeros en plaza, Frascueln, Hermosilla,,
Regataro, Sanz Mora, Sanchez, and Pastor, the first
matadores, the best spadas of Madrid, then ten pages
in their masters' colours, and distinguishable by the
tints of the swathing which covers their legs, and
two 'caches de respeto. These are followed by the
troop of torreros, picadores, ba,nderilleros, and
matadores. After them come two carriages contain-
ing the seconds of the caballeros en plaza, who have to
present them to the King; then mulillas and mozos,
or domestics, on foot. All is resplendent with gold
and bright colours. There is a burst of cheering from
all sides, and all Spain rises to her feet to 'welcome
her most adored heroes, who are soon going to make
themselves either applauded with enthusiasm or
hooted with fury. The sight is grand if unique ; that
mass standing cheering positively exceeds modern
reality. The Caballeros alight from their carriages,
and, having been presented to the King, mount their
horses. All the others, save the alguacils, dismount,
the music sounds, the gates open, and the first bull of
the ganaderia of Don Pedro Faldes y Sanz appears. The
black brute with its glossy hair and broad horns, plunges
into the amen, stands for a moment confounded by the
sudden light, and then, with its head bent, rushes
towards the alguacils, who gallop away to the great
amusement of the spectators. Then begins that hor-
rible festival in which blood adds an additional colour
to Spain. Men in mantles of bright colours excite
the bull and then escape from its fury,
.blinding it by
throwing their garments over its eyes when it presses
them too closely. Then the amateur, or professional
picador as it passes plunges his lance into its body,
and the horror begins in earnest. Civilization hides
its face. The beast is the man; the sympathy is
for the bull tortured by the insatiable appetite
of the man. Down from the black and shining
back of the animal descends a purple stream,
coloming its flanks an legs and the sand which rises
from beneath its hoofs. Horror is added to horror.
The bull, with its crumpled horn, tosses the horse of
the picador and its rider, and is turned away by the
torreadors from the object of its fury, from the open
belly of the horse, its horns in turn streaming with
blood and red to the ears. The two innocent beasts
tear at each other, a torrent of blood flows from the
horse's body; it falls, opens its mouth, and lies
gasping with frenzy. All this time the fight
continues ; the bull has received ten wounds.
From time to time the proud animal, with
its blood-stained horns, its strained neck and sad,
almost tender, eye, seems to demand pity for its
tortures ; but the man is wild, and instead of pity he
gives it the banderilleros. Fresh torture is coming.
Lithe men on foot prick and tear it with hooks, and
drive into its flesh little spikes, with many-coloured
streamers attached to them. The beast plunges in-
dignantly, and the °tips of the streamers are soaked in
the purple torrent gushing incessantly from its panting
sides. Now a red foam appears on the bull's mouth,
its tongue seeks air, the anguish of death veils its
eyes. Instinct draws it to the gateway to escape from
its persecutors, the spectator.; stamp with applause,
and throw their bats into the air in honour of the most
brilliant of Torreros."