Fayetteville observer. [volume] (Fayetteville, Tenn.) 1850-1966, 1858-11-18
A Volunteer Bull Fight.

DuiiS. AltuUuSu 1 COuiu uOb UdFt
been more than eight years of age
| shall never forget the Spectacle
1t happened in this wise:
Close by the school-house--an un
pretending edifce it was ran a deeI
and rapid river. Across it had beer
thrown a high wooden bridge, the
head-railing of which time and the
winds and the weather had entirely
destroyed. The land on the oppo-
Isite sides of the stream was owned
by different persons, and farmed by
them respectively. One bright sum-
mcr day. remember it as if it were
yesterday-the hour Of noon had ar
rived, and a frolicsome, fun-seeking
troup of school-boys we're let loose
for an hour $ recreation.
All at once the bellowing and roar
ing of two bulls that had broken out
of their enclosure on each siee of the
river ttracted onr attention. The
animals were not yet in sight of each
other, but were approaching along
the highway at a rate of speed which
would cause them to meet near the
centre of the high bridge which | have
described; and beneath which, at some
thirty feet, ran the river, between
steep banks. The more daring Of us
gathered near the bridge, lining it. to
see the anticipated fight We were
not disappointed. Nearer and nearer
approached the proud, paving combat
ants. Bashan never produced two
brutes of fiercor aspect. They lash.
ed their sides with their tails, they
tore the ground with their feet DC.
casionally they kneeled down, trying
to gore the earth with their horns
And as yet they we're concealed, each
from the other, by the ascent to the
bridge at either end. Presently, is
they Simultaneously ascended the re-
spective abutments, they came full in
sight of each other. The roar was
mu!ua! and actually tremendous
Every urchin Of Us sprang into the
fields and ran., Finding, however,
that We we're not pursued, we hastily
retraced our steps. There they were,
quite as sensibly employed as some
Of their humln imitators. Front to
front, their horns locked, every mus
Gle strained, they were fighting as on
! iy bulls can fight. 1t seemed an
even match. Now one would press
back his opponent few PAGES, and
presently you would hear quick sharp,
short steps, and his adversary would
press back in return. The strug-
Cling was hard, was long, was savage.
Hitherto they had been pushing
each other lengthwise Of the bridge:
suddenly they began to wheel, and in
moment they we're facing each 9th.
er crosswise. They we're at right an
giles with the length of the old bridge.
which shook, and creaked, and rocked
again with their trampling and terri
BILE strife. 1t was the work of sim
gle moment: one of the beasts--I
could not tell which--one Of them
however, as if conscious Of his posi-
ton, made a violent, desperate
plunge forward, and pressed his an.
tagonist back, back, back till there
was but another step of the plank be.
hind him, between him and nothing
The moment was one of intense In
terost to us juvenile spectators
Never was the am2hitheatte of Rome
the scene of a more exciting combat.
Another step backward--yes, the un'
fortunate bull was forced to take it
Back he is pressed, aud over he goes
Such sight ] never saw, and ]
probably shall never see again. I'M
agine a bull pitched backwards over a
bridge, and filling at least thirty feet
over and over! He turned once OF
twice, probably: / though he. turned
fifty times. there seemed spch con
| fusion of horns and feet revolving
flying through the air. But down be
went; the water was deep and he dis.
appeared, leaving whirlpool of foam
behind him, and making the river un
dulate FAR and wide with the concus.
sion Of his ponderous bulk.
! The other bull did not laugh
merely because bulls, as | supposed
could not. But we laughed and
shouted our applause. There stood
the victor, looking directly down int