The Cincinnati daily star. [volume] ([Cincinnati, Ohio]) 1875-1880, 1877-11-08
BULL FIGHTING IN LISBON.

One OF the national sights is the bull.
fight The i'd ca is general that such a
spectacle is peculiarly Spanish; this is
to a degree untrue, for not only is the
sport common in Portugal, but it ia in
many respects quite unlike and superinr
to the bull-hg ghting of Spain. In thal
country the horses are miserable, un.
trained hacks, brought into the arena
blindfolded to be slaughtered, and the
chief part OF the amusement is to shed
the most blood poss BILE, with little
science and the utmost cruelty to both
bulls and horses, of which sometimes
twenty five or thirty will be slain In one
afternoon.
The Portuguese, while yielding TO
none OF the Latin nations in physical
courage, are naturally more humane,
The bulls are often very fine animals,
but by law their horns are wrapped with
felt, and 1t is impossible for them to
gore a horse, although they may give
him some hard hits. The horse, on the
other hand, is generally very valuable
and admirably trained, aud goes into the
fight with his eyes open.
No weapon more severe than a small
barbed pike Is used, which rarely pene-
trates much below the hide, but sutfices
10 arouse the mettle of a spirited bull.
These pixies are planted in his neck by
the man on horseback, or by the ioot-
men, as he lowers his head to attack. A
very dangerous exploit is to sit in
chair directly opposite the gate from
which the bull is to rush, and plant two
pixies in mis- neck before rising, Should
the bull fail to make directly for the
ptsddOr with lowered horns the man is
lOst.
Another trick full of danger is literal
ly TO take the bull by the horns, as he
lowers his head; as soon us this is done
The rest OF the performers rush on the
bull, and BY main force drag him off the
man. Two men were Killed in one after
moons sport, when | was in Lisbon, by
having their spfhes broken when in the
act Of Sc ,Zlng the bull between the horns,
The arena is surrounded by rows of
seats, rising tier above tier; the last one
is divided into boxes and rooted. AsnoI
is drawn over the arena, half of
the miniature wooden colosseum is
open to the lull blaze of the sun, and
the tickets are sold accordingly Tor the
shady and sunny sides.
Punctuallty Is not observed; the dense
mass OF spectators have about an hour
W gaze at each other, tlirt, hlng nut
shells, shout, bawl, hiss and stamp their
Ieet. When the excitement aud sus-
pense nave reached their limit, which is
tprarenLly tlmId IN order to bring the
audience to the proper pitch, a trumpet
sounds. Silence aud GREATNESS expec-
,alion succeeds. The horse, with ears
,rect, half startled eyes, and every
nerve and muscle tense, awaits the cri-
'ls; the plcaaors, i'll gay uniforms, with
heir queues braided and bound each
nto little ball on the back OF the head. |
Ire in their respective positions, lance
n either hand.
Every eye is turned on the entrance;
ne s,ldlhg door slips up, and, as il sent |
'ut OF catapult, forth rushe5 a magnit- |
cent Dull, his eyes blazing, and fury in |
he polse OF his tremendous head and |
leck. Half an instant he pauses and |
axes hurried survey of the scene, and |
hen makes fearful lunge at the white |
lorse awaiting him on the opposite side |
u the arena. The rider adrOitIy backs |
lis steed and plunges a lance into the |
IGCk oil the bull,
Maauehed by the pain, the bull chases
orse ana rider around the arena; he
ANS on them; he is just on the point
\ gorlhg the morse; the excitement eX-
eeus language; at the critical instant
agile picador contriVes TO thrust an
ther dart into the bull and diyerts his
ttentlon. Every one again breathes
reely. l saw the bull once give the
orse Tremendous blow in the belly,
mich, Notwithstanding the horns were
lunted with felt, at once became scarlet.
When tho bull becomes wearled out or
owed, as often happens wnen he hnds
ls neck completely fringed with j,ve-
Ms, and Is unable to retallate in man.
ef commensurate with his rage, num-
er OF oxen are driven In; the bull
lns up TO them for sympathy. and read