The New York herald., 1871-01-14
How the Sabbath is Made Enjoy.
able in Havana.
A Fashion of the 0lden Time and How
II is Followed.
REVOLVING SCENES OF BRUTALISM.
Valmaseda, ''The Butcher Of Cuba" Pre-
siding at the Show.
HAVANA, Sunday. Dec. 10, 1870.

sOnS ussculDleu III tne fdLa al O'CLOCK
this afternoon to witness the inaugural display of
series OF bull lights, to be given successive Sab.
baths for the delectation OF the men, women and
children OF Havana, and strange and motley as
sembage was this.
The arena or amphitheatre In which these encoun-
ters take place Ii located The western verge OF the
city, at the end OF the Gale Concordia, and Is a
large Drlck-walled enclosure OF an octag0nal form
eXtertorlyI and Its exterior diameter Is about two
hundred and fifty leet The walls are nearly fifty
feet in height and arc without q roof There are
two entrances for the public, the perta of the
one on the northeast face being inscribed, "Entrada
SOL" while the door on the south Is marked "En-
trada Ia Sombre." These words indicate the ma
ture OF the accommodations inside. the first being
the inlet TO the sunny side OF the amphltheatre and
the last named admits the 'hgher pricedn specta
tors who prefer to sit In the shade the admission
fees being fifty cents and dollar Tor the rcspec
tive locations
THE AMPHITHEATRE
Il capable of seating six thousand persons, and the
arena which occupies the centre the enclosure is
about one hundred and tweny feet wide and OF q
circular form.
Having paid the required dollar for admission at
the "Entrada a la Sombre," and as 1t was yet but
hafpast three O'Clock, asked PERMISSION OF one of
the employees OF the establishment to inspect
THE PARAPHERNALIA,
the horses, bulls, stalls and weapons all OF which
requests were compiled with, but after the sulien
Spanish manner II must be understood. however
that the seats for spectators rise terraceke from
the to The top OF the outer walls and are
simply succession OF steps resembling the tempo.
rary seats OF the interior OF travelling circus.
The space beneath this ascent OF steps the west
ern SHE OF the building is therefore opcn and the
audience were overhead as l entered, and could be
thn itata
the left from the entrance and following my chape-
ron, passed through small gare and in the first
apartment found about dozen horses and three
mules saddle ana caparisoned for the combat.
OF the horses the less said the better, they were
The most miserable cagmag morses OF equine flesh
that could be got together sun they all yeung
animals, but looked though never well cared for.
one peculiar feature Of their appearance was their
color, which was mainly brnde OF gray, white yell
low and liver colors strangely mixed. They were all
saddled with the old fashioned high pommelled
Mexican S) saddle and the saddle co,iis ana brides
had some pretensions to tinsei mountings. But
there still stranger feature in the fact that Just
Ill front OF the ears, over the orelock Of each horse
was bound rather loosely vari-colored handker-
chief. at first this would impress with the be-
lief that he was IN horse inurniary, IN the ward
devoted TO equine NAL de tete, but my chaperon
planned that these were simply bllndrolds.
The mules were further and were gorgoously
decked with heavy crimson saddle cloths and EN-.
broidered ''hcad stas' plente0usiy bespanged
with stars ana bestriped with ribbons. They were
splendid specimens OF their mongret breed ana evil
dently did appreciate their ridiculous paternity
as they tossed their heads ana set the thousand
bells which covered them jlngllng. asked the
meaning OF their being all harnessed abreast TO
single stout wmlfetree, and was told that they
used 10 draw the dead bulls oct OF the arena.
THE BULL STALLS
were further on, perhaps dozen feet, and to my
immediate right was sort OF sallyport with heavy
crossbarred gates, through which the human CON-
balants, the horses, &c, enter the ring. Ascending
four five steps crossed and found my sell
On floor with spaces about ten inches wide be-
tween the planking. Locking through these
openings beneath my feet l found that l was
over the pens, and in each OF the small enclo-
sures below me was confined young tauran
Their rage, even In their cells was very
evident, the garlng eDaiis, that flashed with
blcodshot sheen as we walked over the heads OF the
beasts gave promise OF savage work. Tiere were,
Ill all, ten OF them, and as they began to leap up
ward, striking the ho0r on which we stood with
their horns was requested to dc sccnd, as IL was
not desirable tnat their uryshould be further ex-
cited. small passagcway, closed by an iron
clampcd door TO the left OF the large gates just
bulls 10 the lighting ground. la the northwest part
OF the building Is rude slaughter mousse, where the
bulls are Mayed ana quarterea by negro butchers
as soon as thcy are taken dead from the ring
THE DRESSING ROOMS,
where the human giddiatorS attire themselves for
their backguard, yet dangerous tasn, are the
right OF the spectators entrance, -and are simple
plunk-partt1one0 apartments, the walls being ILted
with racks, On winch The buil lighters costumes and
weapons are arfaycd.
The plcadors, banderilerOs, capiadores and nata-
dors were dressing when We entered and were
hand lsf.ptn .lT
ideal Fra Di voo and his swartby companIonS in q
superb degree. About the room were srewn dozen
plkes each about ten ieet IN iengL ana armed the
point with stout iron gad men and a half long.
There were also several bundles oi arrow headed
and the Shafts OF wac We're covered W VIM e"sr var
CoiOred streamerS ana ribbons: Five six slender
giistening rapers, with crimson hits and blades
about twcnty'eight inches long completed the armO.
rial equipment.
Neatly folded on chairs were also what appea red
to be number of large flags bandards OF different
colors and several red cloGas about yard square,
with slender stick fastened along one side. The
large flags are used by the capadorcs TO enraee
70 distract the attention OF the bulls, and the red
cloths carried only by the matadors when
counierinG the bun with the rapler.
THE BULL FIGHTERS
OF the different classes were about fifteen In num-
ber, and varied III age IRON about twenty. y.eight to
lorty-nve. Evidently the most characteristic men
among them were the matators, OF determined and
swarthy features, Their frames were specimens Of
muscular deve.opment, ana their long black hair
was twisted up INTO Il CLASSICAL knot ana fastened
GU the backs or their heads. All Tie costumes
SuosiantidhJ SHnh.i III uesiSH, thouRH varying III
color and decoration, save only those of the pIca-
dors. These the mounted buil fighters, and, as
BODY, are heavier la physique tnan the others. On
then heads they wore broad drab sombreros, round
crowned, nat brnmed and trmnied with scarlet
ribbons. Their bodies were encased In heavy buck
SKIN camsas and their lcggngs were or similar ma
terlal, heavily padded. a coat OF mail, or very
doubtful yulnerabllity, worn the camlsa, and
strong, heavy shoes. bucked ana strapped, com
pleted their attire.
Tne matadors were more lightly, gracefully ana
tasteully costumed, az were also the banderlleros
and capiadores. Their heads were covered with
small black, jatnty fur caps; and colored under
shirt, over winch was worn purple, yellow, GRIM
son. black or other bright hued Jacket fastened at
the throat only, and handsomely slashed ana em-
broidered with silver and gut enclosed their bodies.
Tight.iltting kneebreeohes, OF gaudy velvcts, aud
white and flestcolored silk stockings with slv. red
buckles on their garters and Shoes showed TO COM
pete advantage the splendid symmetry OF their
lower limos, and the effect was i'll most instances