Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1878-04-16
Texan Sports.

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Texan Sports.
A dispatch 10 the New York Herald. date
San Artopio, April II. says Tho sports {
old RHmc are being revived with coCslderabl
success in this Gis!aot region of the world
where ell is new aud even civilization herself
1ot quite nj home Although We lack the sur
roundiogs the grandeur of the arena, the gilt
ter of the imperial throne and the vast throng
clothed 10 the howing costumes Of the days o
the Cn3ars and the glorious coliseum itself
our sports possess many of the features tina
have made those of the early days famous ii
history. The bull fight, Spanish importa
ton, which has reached San Antonio in due
course oil time, mas always been faVorite amuse
ment wherever the Dous or their descendants
dominate things social. 10 say that We have
forgotten CUR seui Spanish origia in this bor
der State would be to deny that bull fighting
can colect crowd from every settlement and
village within hundred miles OF San Antonio.
Such an assemblsge has collected here for sew.
| era Sundays back. The bull fighting has been
| enjoyed hugely, and SO we must plead guilty to
bciog ouly haf American yet. TO vary the
sport, however, ln order to crafty the progres:
sivc Split Of the rising generation. who regard
an Ordinary bull fight as tame affair, the com.
bats have been arranged to take place between
lions and bulls, and much speculation has been
INDUCED in as 10 the respective fighting quail
ties Of "lec Africanus' and "bos Americanu !"
Really it has grown into kind of intercouti-
mental contest, in which the champions are the
s!outest and best that can be selected as repre-
sentatives. Last Sunday the first fight took
place, 10 which Africa was badly "whipped." I"
The bull was victorious, after brief but sharp
encounter, aud the ioness retired sadder,
wiser and sore. sided animal, to reflect In her
cage on the departed glory of ell things leonDe.
But the hackers Of the lions were not disheart-
ened, ard prepared to day to retrieve their
laurels and dollars by pittiDg full grown male
lion, rather old, but yet active, against bull
of approved yalor As the affair was we'll ed
vertised great interest was centred in it, sud all
good San Aotonions longed for Sunday to come,
n order that they might gratify their eyes With
such novel spectacle.
The bull fight took place at the same place
where the bull and lion fight took place last
Saturday. In the middle Of the arena was the
iron cage used on that occasion. The Mexican
bull fighters refused to fight the bull IN this
iron cage, because it lacked facilities for exit.
They did moi care 10 rely on the bull entirely
TO get over tDe s'X,ccn feet high oEc'osure. ln
order to get thcn 10 crgagc 'hc bulls 40 en-.
closure eight !eCt high was made Of boards sur
rounding the aforesaid iron cage. This outside
enclosure was sixteen feet broad, and circular
10 form. The iron cage, however, did not OBJ
struct the view.
Abou; eleven OF clock the crowd from the city,
three miles and half distant, began TO assem-
bic, and about the same hour two Mexcans
arrived With long strog OF baDderlllas, which
are wooden sticks about twelve inches In length,
With spike about two llches long in the end.
The banderiI!as arc adorocd with streamers OF
gayy. colored tissue paper. They are used to
make the bull tGrlous. tho fighter advancing on
the aGiuaI, planting the banderilla IN his peck,
aud adroitly getting cut OF the way. In case
be is hard pushed the bull fighter climbs over
the fence, which is constructed to afford him
every facility to do 80. | examined the four
bulls selected for the combat. Two were pied
bulls of ordinary Texas breed, with quite sharp
horns, while the other two were brown ani'
mails. tho tops of whose horns had been saw
ed off.
At twelve o'clock the Mexican Ebull fighters
appearcd They had on broad brimmed Mexi
can hats. adorncd with silver ornaments, blue
aud red koec brceches, with whito stockings;
red sash and blue or red jackets, bespaDeled
with silver ornaments aud red slippers. Ono
was quite old-at least sixty ycars-but as game
and cbipper as boy. a Mexican with long
sharp stick punched aud aggravated the animal
before he was let 10 in order to make him tn
rious.
A pied bull vas let 10 and the McXcans
waved theirrcd figs in his face, but he refused
to fight. For Ten minutes they danced around
him, but he made 10 hostile motion and evaded
his pursucrs. One 0! the bull fighters then took
banderiIa and thrust it in the bulls flank,
but that did not excite him. A second bande-
rila was planted in the back of his neck. He
roarcd and pitched; tho Mcxcaus yelled and
waved their flags, but still % fight. Tic was
at last dragged out amid yclls ot derlson from
the audience.
The second bull was beaten aud puoched to
encourage him for the fight. The bull fighters,
who were ready in position. exchanged glances,
and one cf them said, "El torro es bueno," 4"
which means, The bull will fight" Music
| was then played by the band. They were mis-
taken. After he had been tcased and worried
| By the fgEtcr5 stuck full Of bauderl!lss, bad a
| dog set Oh him aud been riddeo by Mexican,
be was led out 10 disgrace. The same was re-
peated with variations with the third bull, with
the same result exactly
There was no bull fight, but the last animal
in order to escape his tcrmcncis, broke through
the enclosure, scattering people right and left
and oycrturniDC lunch stand.
| At one o'clock the lion, "O.d George" va:
put into the arena. He was large African
lion who, although old, presented formidable
appearance He wss very large. Hc had been
given caf few days before, which be de
stroycd 10 foe style, as we'll as several vagrant
dogs that had straycd into the arena, 10 which
be had been placed Tor week past to allow
| him to exercise his muscles. Old George ha!
only one eye, the other having been burnt ir
order to get The remains Of his keeper out o
his cage 10 Memphis few years ago, he hav
ing torn him all to pieces. Ataquartcr to fou
o'clock Mexican v84uer0s Wtr1 seen bringing
the bull across the pra!rcs. The lion was sbu
e. .too ;th