The Anderson intelligencer. [volume] (Anderson Court House, S.C.) 1860-1914, 1878-06-06
A BULL FIGHT In CUBA.
The Spanish Pastime Stripped of Its False
Colors.
From The Augusta constitutiopalist.

FROM UlG duyIStu CVtStttuttOISLltots
The following letter was written from
Havana by former resident of this city,
nho is now in Cuba, to his relatives in
this city, and contains matters which
doubtless may prove interesting to our
readers:
"Mr. Springer called for me last Sum
day afternoon at three o'clock in the
Consul's carriage, and insisted that 1
should drive with them to the large am
pitheatre known as "Polar Qua Mendos,"
for bull fighting. I went, but / do as
sure you it is my last time. At four
o'clock horseman, we'll mounted, rode
into the arena, saluted the governor, who
tossed him the keys to open the gates,
after which eight or ten "teasers" with
red flags marched into the ring, followed
by two men on horseback, with long
spears. 1t was not long before the bull
himself, already greatly infuriated, ca
vorted before us, dashing about from
side to side after the fiery ensigns, and
plunging at the nearest horseman. The
story is one long and sickening, so in
summing up the affair I have only to
say that one man was killed. I didn't
care fig for the man, nor his relations
and friends, for such gladiators deserve
no pity; my sympathies were with the
horses and bulls. Two steeds were kill
ed by the first and third bull, aud one SO
lacerated by the fifth animal that it had
to be driven from the ring, almost torn
open. Then was wrought up. was
mad with the Governor, Spain, the
Spaniards, and even Christopher Colum-
bus did not escape my ill wishes. Weak
though I was, l wanted to fight about
three Spaniards, though / was still weak
from malarial fever. Seven bulls were
tortured to desperation and then butch
cred. After the horsemen were through
with worrying them, two angling Span
iards, on foot, with barbed reeds, gayly
decorated and brightly polished, would
dance around the enraged bull, stick
him in the tender parts of the shoulders,
inAicting horrible agony into the poor
beasts exhausted body. But the diabol-
ical sport did not end until another relay
of friends would dance around and
thrust into the quivering, dying animal
sharp darts, loaded with torpedo at the
end, which would explode directly under
the skin, causing the most excruciating
agony. The poor bulls, now unable to
defend themselves against every form of
attack which ingenuity could devise or
human wickedness employ, would dash
themselves wildly against the wall, en-
deavoring to wreck their miserable ex-
istences or, failing in this, would run
around the ring, looking piteously into
the faces of the multitude above them,
appealing in their mute misery to the
stony-hearted spectators. 1t was simply
terrible. By the time the bloody sport
was over was nearly dead myself, and,
although the day was very warm, drops
of cold perspiration beaded upon my
brow and chilled my forehead. Men,
women and ministers of religion would
first cheer the men and then the bull,
and each unfortunate rider, as he was
dethroned by the bull, would be fright
fully Missed by the spectators. haven't
eaten q beefsteak since my visit to the
bull fight. \
81 would like to see CHS beautiful
island annexed to the United States, fol
then, instead of subsisting 1925, ,00C
people it would be capable of supporting
twenty million inhabitants. The coun'
try is magnificent, the climate good, and
if properly cultured, every one could
have plenty. Very few people, how
ever, work; but all live easily upon tbs
fruits of the island"