The Express.
London, England, 1868-10-15 00:00:00

hat* than

can judge, it, is not much the fashion in Madrid
for ladies to attend the bull-fights ; and at all
events yesterday afternoon by far the larger
portion of the spectators were of the sterner sex.
There were rives for the generals and admiral
separately, and by name, and vivas for them col-
lectively as the liberators of their country; rives
for liberty, vivas for the national sovereignty,
visas for the Junta, and vivas for every-
thing and anything connected, or that
could be connected, with the revolution. The
Spaniards scent to be fond of shouting, and once
they commence know not, as I have learned at the
expense of many hours' sleep, when to leave off.
Topete, who is a good-looking, sailorlike man,
took his plaoo between Serrano and Prim, and
after the democratic meeting was over they wore
joined by Orenze. The sailors of the Zaragoza,
the frigate of which Topeto is captain, occupied
oasts in the ring, and were warmly cheered as they
took their places.
The incidents which precede the death of
each bull are so nearly similar that to
deerrihe one contest—if contest it can be
called when all the force is on one side—is to
describe all. Certainly there is a little difference
in the manner in which the bulls make their
entry, and in their after proceenings. Some are
fits ce and lively; tome are sluggish and inactive.
'1 he femur keep their persecutors more upon their
metal, and make them exhibit more of that grace-
ful agility and ability to escape which are the
essentials of a successful bullfighter; the
latter require more teasing and baiting to rouse
themto the amount of firmness or rather irritation
which they am expected by the Fpeet store to ex-
hibit. Let me take an average. or rather more
than an average specimen, and describe his mode
of action, and the manner in which he is slaughtered
to make a Spanish holiday. The animal whom I
select for this purpose of illustration was not large,
but active—of a dun brown colour, deepening over
the shoulders and loins almost to black, with a fine

bead and large spresiling horns, a deep broad
chest, and powerful, but light, hind quarters. As
is always the case, there had before he left the
Torii been driven into his shoulder a short sharp
instrument, bearing a rosette of ribbons with long
streamers, called a mesa. Smarting from the pain
occasioned by the sharp instrument, and irritated
by the bright pennons which it carried, ho
galloped rapidly into the centre of the
anna, and then suddenly coming to a stop looked
wildly and angrily around him, tossed his head,
and pawed the ground with his fore feet. In a
moment the chubs, armed with their many-
coloured cloaks—some scarlet and yellow, some
green and scarlet, but all of some bright tint, and
most of them combining two colours—were around
him, running and leaping hither and thither to
allure him in their pursuit, and dexterously blind-
ing him with their coloured cloths (their only
offensive or defensive weapon) at the moment
that he seemed about to reach them with his horns.
This, which is really only a preliminary proceed-
ing, is the prettiest part of the fight. There is in
it no cruelty whatever, and some of the
chubs exhibit considerable courage in ap-
proaching the bull, singular dexterity in
throwing their cloaks, and wonderful judgment
and agility in avoiding the assaults of the enraged
beast. Sometimes you would fancy that his horns
must reach them, but they manage to be just out of
distance, and the threatening toss of the head is
wasted upon empty air. The principal object of
all these manoeuvres, apart from the mere irrita-
tion of the bull, is to draw him towards the pica-
dores, a certain number of whose horses ho is ex-
pilled to kill or mangle before he is himself
destroyed, and who cannot always force their sorry
nags to approach him. In the old times the
business of the picadore was to wound the bull
without allowing his horse to be injured, and to
do this required both skill with the lance and
good horsemanship. Now ho is expected to
strike the bull with the point of his pole and
to add to the streams of blood which are already
Bowing from the place where the dart of the mona
is inserted ; but his first duty is to get his horse
killed, or at all events severely gored. With this
object the picadores force their blinded or half-
blinded steeds right up to the bull, and hold them
there while he plunges his horns into their bellies
or shoulders. The bull of which I am writing
seemed to be animated by a peculiar hostility to
horsea. It required very little exertion on the part
of the chubs to lure him towards them. As soon
as Le saw a man on horseback he rushed towards
him, buried his horns well in the body of the
steed, and giving his stout well-set head a shake,
so as to be sure they wore fast, made as though he
would lift both steed and rider into tho air. Twice
ho succeeded in throwing horse and man into the
dust, and he had destroyed five of the former
before the banderilleros were called upon to pre-

pare for the last scene. Two of these horses ho did
not kill immediately ; and they were ridden about
the ring with part of their entrails hanging out.
The others were more fatally wounded, and fell at
once ; not dying immediately, but kicking and
struggling in a manner which was most disagree-
able to witness. The task of the Bendorillorus re-
quires much skill for its performance and involves
some danger. Holding in either hand a sharp-
pointed and barbed dart, ornamented with paper
of various colours, they advance towards the
bull, and by waving their hands invite him to
attack them. In this instance the bull
needed very little solicitation to advance. Lower-
ing his head and waving his tail in the
air ho dashed wildly forward, and for a moment it
appeared as though the too venturous banderillero
must go down before him. Not so, however.
Dexterously planting his darts one on each
shoulder of the bull, the skilful assailant stepped
lightly aside, and the now infuriated animal
rushed madly on in search of a fresh enemy. Nor
had be far to go. Soon another banderillero met
hint, and two more darts were quickly planted in
lals quivering flesh. while the fresh blood poured

in red streams from the wounds whiribe
Skied. Confined in the paper trimmings of th;
darts were a number of small birds, and as the,
were liberated by the striking of the
was curious to see diem take flight unrqss the
arena. At last the. poor bull has IsNli t/irtur..l
enough. Hie sides are streaming with iawri
Ilia tuts glare and run with an 144 f (af
passion half of fear, his tongue hang, Etr
bis mouth, and white foam gathers about his lip;
As he stands in the arena, bis sides heasin;
anf
his whole trains quivering, ho seems utuirly le
wildered and confused. Then it is, not until hi,
strength has been so much reduced and his ~,x,,
so completely disturbed, that the espador, or
swordsman, undertakes to kill him. Aruisil with
a sharp Toledo blade, and carrying is
hand the mule* a small staff with a 40.4,
rod flag, which be uses as a lure, he colifej,.,ty
approaches the bull, and after playing with inza
for a short time (with the assistareoi of vb.,.
chutes) he seizes a favourable opportunity,
and plunges, or rather drops, the sweet
in between the shoulders. It is curious
witness the astonishment of the bull whsn 1.
receives this stroke, which seldom kills him ham
diately. The bull of which I sin writing, inde,.l,
stood for some time after he was w 000,1,4, 404
El Tato bad procured another sword and was
about to strike him again, when he began tAI tram
round and round and speedily fell to the gr., r.l.
In a nieiment the cachetero sprang upon him I
darting a small sharp dagger into his lie.,
quickly terminated his sufferings. Then the fr•
shouted with delight, El Tato bowed his w,ki,
,„,
ledgmenta for the praises which were accordsd -n
him, teams of mules dragged from the &WM
carcases of the slaughtered bull and the
steeds (who when dead presented the app
of mere wretched skeletons), and in a
minutes everything was ready for the eipst
of the performance with another bull ands ir, sz.
series of horses.

Yesterday afternoon, as I have menti.,n i.
banderillero was slightly hurt. The

just touched him with one of the horns
the knee, but the wound was not a seno...,
and ho reappeared in the ring later in the
noon. One of the chuks, too, had rather a ..i•• .7t
escape. A picadore having been unheri,
steed was running wildly about the ring al.:.
came against this man, and threw him vi
to the ground. At the same time the bull :

rut& in that direction ; and for a •
seemed a chance that he might either trs•o;

chulo to death, or tow him into the es
his companions could come to him. TL•....

however, lay quite still, and a good
surprise of everyone, and probably to th• i.
pointment of some of the spectators, th •

jumped over him, and passed on without int!.
the slightest injury. when the man ros...
loudly applauded for the coolness with wi:

had waited the attack of the bull.

striking incident of the afternoon, bower.: . .
the appearance in the ring of a retired Lull- i
named Pucheta. This man is well ku.,w..

Madrid ; he has taken a prominent part I%
revolution, and is the commander of a •
the National Guard in one of the low..st ; .
of the town—the quarter of Toledo. 11
the brother of that Pucheta, also a bull-tig •

who was shot in 1854. He is quite a pui . .
hero, and when he leaped into the ring there w 6
great demonstration. For some time he j is
the chubs, and showed great dexterity in thr
ing the cloak. When the bull was to be
there was a general demand that he should
and this task he accomplished with so much gr..
and facility as to excite new and louder plaudi!
than ever.

4 SCENE I.V THE OPERA ENCSE dr MADJZI.:I

On the night of the 11th inst. there was a tin.•
versal fit( in Madrid, After bull-tights O.IJIIO the opera
There was a grand performance for the benefit oi
wounded of Alcolea. The theatre was full, and Mir:h
Serrano, General Prim, and Admiral Topete occupied afr 7
boa. The piece selected for the occasion was the
Partici. The celebrated duet, "Sacred love of couct...7.
given with great energy and passion by Tsmber'..k
Stirs', raised thunders of applause, and was twice eve r••!.
But this was nothing to what occurred tu :- •
second act. A poet of the neighbourhood Lid
written three stanzas, which were adapted to the great
air with which this act opens, and naturally re 114.:
Spain and liberty. Tamberlik, who appeared to
great sympathy for the Spanish Revolution. sang
stanza* in the Spanish language, and was applauded to
the skies. There was an enthusiastic ovation whea
seemed as though it would never cud. and the siguil
for which was given by tieneral Prim. Mario:
Serrano, and Admiral Topete. The scene recsll...i. tr
mind some of the wonderful peci,rmances of lischal ..1
Faris alter the Pith of February.

Rossini is prolonging his stay st his villa of
Nosy. Hs is not likely to return to Paris befara
November. . . .

-•-
A letter front Prague says :--•• The title of th
new opera of Flotow and Genes. The Two e-wp.a•
just been changed to that ci The Nuoriatis. The :17,-.
representation will take pLiee next year. Flotow
to Paris, where his opera. Me Sikaost, is to
this winter at the Opera Comique.
The Journal des Landes mentions diseercri,,A
that have been made at St. Cricit. nay Ville-Neuve-Je•
Ilarsan. These remains consist of antique was of pest
thickness. of rooms adorned with mosativi and in ;001
preservation. Alec in the river Some. sunk beneath th.•
bottom, has been found the remains of a boat,
whet
probably belonged to the Normans.
The Jean-Bart, French naval training wheel for
lads, has just left Brest fur her annual cruise. IL.?
itinerary is nearly the same as that of List year. She wall
touch tint at Teneriffe, then at (hires. Prays 1/4i'ape do
Verde Islands), Bahia, Rio Janeiro, Monte Video. Cape of
flood Hope, St. Helena, the Antilles, the United Stoles.
Nova Scotia, and Newfoundland. . . ---• ••• •••

M. Roger does not improve in his reprmentstiou
of Odds' in thiorge Sand's Cabe. (I *PH says
" His friends, even the nimutger, M. Felix, Lire eutnut.~t
him to abandon St. tlildas to Dosrieui, who is roidy
take it ; but Felix has not been happy in his persussion4.
for Roger w rest p.m ei.'rvserr, and so, night alter ing!tt.
the Porte St. Martin exhibits a spectaelo which some ci
may remember, heaven knows how many years gone by.
when Romeo Coatis insisted on playing at ti.'ivent-ganieu.
and after he had died on Deedensona's tomb, we used to
scream out 'Die again, Coatis '—and die again be did."
Thu 'United Kingdom Allianoo, which aims at
the total suppression of the trete in all iutoxieating
liquors, leis just held its annual demonstration at Min-
cluster. The list of speakers included the minim of Arch-
bishop Manning, Sir Wilfrid Lawson, one of the liberal
candidates for Carlisle, and Professor F. W. Newman.
The opinion of Mr. Oladstone ou the object of thu
organifiestiou had bean sought. and a letter was read from the
right hum, gentlannim in which he pointed out the difficulty
of explaining his views in writing on a gnostic which had
so many aspects. lie held it to be his duty "to watch
the currents of opinion in parliament and the country,
with a view of using them for tho best." Mr. (Hodson
added that his could not go beyond a referesma to los
votes and speeches in thu House of Commons, ineludoi;
declarations made during last seesion, and from those it
would bo seen that his disposition was to let in the prin-
ciple of local rating wherever it was likely to be timid
satisfactory.
The body of Charles Bright, ono of the pilots
who was drowned with three others on the 4th inst.
oR
the Hampshire meat by their beet having bean auLidaa-
tally seek by the Indian mail-packet Syria, has bean
picked up in Chilton Bey.