The democrat. [volume] (Weston, W. Va.) 1868-1874, 1871-04-03
A Spanish Eull Fight.

A Spanish Full Fight.
1--WE entered the ring at most unfor
tunate moment for any person with {
weak stomach. The bull, large dur
fellow, had Just gored black horse
whose rider was quite callous to the fact
that the beasts entrails were trailing in
the dust, a large dark red mass on which
he constantly trod the other horse was
even in worse plight, staggering about in
a terrible death-agony. The bull seemed
played out his huge fanks rose and
fell convulsively; the blood streamed
from the lance-wounds in his great neck.
The moment for planting the bandil'eras
had arrived. A gayly dressed fellow ran
up, and as the bull charged fixed the two
barbed darts, one on each side of his
shoulders. 1t was beautifully done, so
quickly that could not see hou it was
done. Another man planted two more
darts in the same neat way. The enor-
nous mass of men and women cheered
tremendously, and several excited spec
tators SHE'D their sombreros into the
ring to the successful bandiReros, but the
attendants politely threw them back
The bull was now perfectly wild; rush
ing at a dying horse, he buried his head
into the poor brute's body again and
again. My English friend turned yell
low and green he burst into cold per-
spiration, his teeth chattered. and he
would have left the ring had it been pos
sible, but the crowd was too great. A
horn sounded, the maIddor Rafael step
ped forward, sword in hand ; OF course
the sword was wrapped in the traditional
red flag. Walking coolly up to his gi-
gantic adversary, he proqged him between
the eyes with the point of his sword to
excite him. After avoiding four furious
charges, he stood directly in front of the
bull, raising his flag breast high, made
straight lunge. 1t was so rapidly done
that you couldn't see the modus operGn-
d.; indeed it was like coniuror's trick.
The sword, thin blade about three feet
long, stuck hilt deep in the bulls neck,
but he continued to charge about till.
another sword having been brought, the
matador wounded him again, but this
time clumsily, for the weapon dropped
out of the wound. Now came the most
exciting moment. Rafael picked up his
sword, and, facing. the bull pluckily,
killed him at a single lunge. The vast
assembly gave loud brdro, and mill
tary band struck up an air from 'Barbe
Bleue.' Offenbach seems to be the reg
ular bull-fght music; they played moth
ing else after each death. What q re-
QUEEN for wild bull the gallop from
'Orphee aux Enters The last bull was
very lively, and upset four horses. One
charge I saw very well he struck his
horse behind the girths, and lifting him
bodily off the ground, crrlmpled him up
like paper against the wooden enclosure.
Another horse received the charge full
in the breast a pailfull of dark blood
gushed out, when he fell dead on the
spot.
When the bull charges, the picador
tries to turn the horse and receive the
bull upon the point of the lance, but the
impetus is always too great he bears
down the lance and upsets the horse
and rider. These picddOrrS have some
nasty falls; saw one pitched clean
over his horses head and into the lower
row of spectators
After the first two or three charges,
the bull is tired and can't run fast
enough to endanger the lives of the men
on foot. But the most awful thing OF
all is the slaughter-yard where the bulls
are skinned and their meat sold, and
the wounded horses despatched. Little
knowing what awaited me, I made my
way to this enclosure A poor black
horse who had lasted through two fights
and half dozen charges, his entrails
hanging down to the ground, his carcass
one mass of blood and bruises, still stood
up. while butcher, half naked and red
from head to foot. was coolly plunging a
two-foot knife into his breast. After
repeated failures an artery was severed,
the blood spouted in torrents, and the
horse fell dead, after an agony OF more
than an hour, for he had been first
wounded by the third bull. The place
was literally afoat with blood some OF
the carcasses had already been hung on
the walls from iron hooks F.; Others lay
about so thickly that you could hardly
take step without tripping over one"
AS,EDrroR's HAvEN.-"There is one
city in Iowa where the efforts OF fpublish.
ers OF daily paper are appreciated and
encouraged. Ottumwa is this goodly
city, and the Courier. is the daily. 1t.
senior editor is Supervisor OF 1ntena
Revenue its next editor is Postmaster
its third man is Assistant Assessor OF In
ternal Revenue, and the city editor i
City Clerk"