Bradford reporter. [volume] (Towanda, Pa.) 1844-1884, 1865-10-26
= A SPANISH BULLPIGHT.

|
who were to perform, as also their horses.
Judge of my astonishment on seeing
small chapel lighted up with candles, where
the whole of the men are confessed before
they begin their perilous avocation, and
where, in the event of their being mortally
wounded in the course Of the combat the
sacrament of extreme JUNCTION is admins
tered There was no laughing nor Joking
either among the performers or lookers-on
the former had quite the air of men who
knew the risk they were about to run. The
arena is about 100 PAGES in diameter, and
surrounded by a double barrier.
! After flourish of trumpets the arena
was cleared Of spectators, several soldiers
on horseback assisting to expedite their de-
parture A procession then entered, con-
sistng of two masters of ceremonies, five
picadors on horseback, fourteen banderiler-
os, including three matadors, all dressed in
red or blue silk, richly embroidered with
gold, silver or black silk, and two teams of
mules, three in each, with nine or ten as
sistants, to draw the dead carcasses from
| the ring
The whole procession crossed the arena
and advanced to the front of the royal box,
which on this occasion was empty, but from
an adjoining box a bunch of keys was
thrown to liberate the bulls from their dun
geOns. The procession retired with the
keys. and none but the bandcrilleros re-
mained. A door in the barrier was then
thrown open and No. bull trotted into the
ring He stopped when he had gone about
twenty PAGES, and gazed right and left in
evident bewilderment. They evaded him,
| and engaged his attention by waving flying
cloaks Of different bright colors about his
head. The bull soon stopped and stood
steadily looking at the banderilleros, who
advanced close to him, and cleverly evaded
the several charges made by the animal
The latter was very undecided and seemed
| afraid of his opponents. The spectators
now began to express disapproval of his
| cOwardice, and there was general Kissing
when the bull, ON being boldly confronted
by Cuchares, tnrned away. Tne trumpets
now sounded as the signal for another act
OF the performance to commence. Darts
were given to the banderilleros, who stuck
them into the shoulders of the bull /; they
were stuck in, not thrown. The art of so
doing requires very active movement,
which, by its dexterity is graceful 1t is
done when the bull is charging, and the
darts-about thirty inches long are thrust
in two at a time. This must be done delib-
erately and the place Of insertion is feshy
part of the fore shoulders. No wound dur
ing the whole of the performance is infict-
ed on any other part than the shoulders.
" The bull being a coward the spectators
called fUeg0;' and the darts, instead of be-
ing plain, were provided with squibs and
crackers which ignited as they entered the
flesh, and were seen blazing about the be-
wildered and now infuriated animal Six
darts were thrust in, and although the
wretched animal was wild with pain and
rage, he was not thoaght sufficiently brave;
a flourish Of the trumpet announced the
last act, the picadors not having been put
ill requisition at all.
"Cuchares, the principal performer, now
appeared upon the scene with red cloth
and long thin sword The bull was COM
peteiy frightened at him, and it was only
after being followed for some time that he
showed any disposition to turn upon and
attack his prosecutor Cuchares allowed
him to charge two or three times, Just step
ping foot or two aside, and then, gazing
steadily at him, plunged the sword nearly
to the hilt i'll the shoulders of the bull, which
Immediately fell on his knees and received
TIE Hldl wound WlIH Il pOlnafG.
second bull now galIoped into the
ring, and at once began to chase the ban
delillerOs, who ran before him with great
cooness, and at times waved their long
mantles about his horns. As the bull ran
faster than the men, the latter must either
turn aside or try to battle him with their
bright nantes, and this they generally sue
seed in doing. This requires very great
adroltness as well as activity and presence
OF mind, for if the mantle was not properly
thrown, the performer would probably step
upon it and be thrown down, at the risk of
almost certain death Picadors were now
introduced, and the bull in pursuing the
banderilleros suddenly caught sight of
horse close to him he seemed thunder
struck, paved the ground, lowered his head,
and rushed upon the horse. The picador
thrust at him with his lance but the bull
broke right through this defence and, with
a tremendous gore, killed the horse. He
then rushed ut another horse was twice
repulsed by the lance, but succeeded the
third time and unhorsed the picador. A
third horse suffered similar fate, and his
rider received a heavy fall, which disabled
him for the rest Of the day--indeed, the
only chance for his life was in the immedi-
ate rescue by the banderileros. This bull
was very clumsily treated by the second
who failed no less than five times
in the attempt to infict death blow and
for which he was hissed by the people
"The third bull made what was called
the best fight of the day During his ca
reer he charged three horses in the middle
of the arena one after the other, lifting them
of, the ground. The picador
was thrown from one of them six PAGES
forward, and lay extended on the ground.
The bull was going up to him, mad with
rage, when Cuchares actually seized him
by the horns, and thus saved the life of the
fallen man. This act of daring was greet
ed with tremendous applause | may say
that the merit of bull is judged by the
Spanish qfcionad0 (connoisseur) )by the num-
Der Of times he enters to the lancing
charges of the picador, without turning
back or appearing to dread the prick of the
lance. If bull does not enter at all, the
people have right to demand fueqo, az
was the case with the first bull this dav.
and the President in such a case gives con-
sent for darts to be used with crackers on
them.