The Forest Republican. [volume] (Tionesta, Pa.) 1869-1952, 1879-01-22
THE COW.FIaHT AT MINES.


Two of the gates of the old city still
exist at Mines, offering some fine mar
BILE sculptures; but when one las been
here and there about the old city. and
seen all its antiquities. he returns again
and again with growing interest to a
contemplation of it's magnificent anphi.
theater, It is slightly Clliptical In form,
and smaller than the amphitheater of
Aries, and perhaps inferior to that in
| purity of style, but its situation makes
1t, on the whole, more attractive and
cheerful, and 1t could once seat 25,-
OOO spectators, which is quite an army.
Each division of seats-one for the
patricians, another for the equitari. or
knights, and two upper tiers for the
plebeians-had its own vomitorium, or
exit, with distinct corridors, and these
are all yet in good preservation. So
enormous is the strength and so massive
is the construction of this edifice that
when Charles Martel expelled the Sara
Gems from it and filed the corridors
with wood, and tried to burn it down.
he was unable to make any perceptible
impression. The arena is still used for
bull-fghts on tete days. I witnessed
spectacle of this sort in that place, which
IN " remote way served to give me an
idea OF the grandeur of q gladiatorial
day, or fight with wild beasts, in those
gone-by times, when those vast tiers of
marble were thronged with myriads
robed in purple and gold. There were
about six thousand present on this occa.
sion. More, probably, would have at
tended If 1T had been a regular bull-fight
instead of a cow.fight which was offered
on the bills. But, il less exciting, there
was nearly as much fun in the spectacle
L saw there. 1t was advertised as
"courSe 66re," which meant that all
who chose could enter the arena and
join in the sport. The COWS, if not as
dangerous as bulls, were of Spanish
breed, and by no means to be despised.
If their horns had not been bound in
ielt, more than one champion would
have lost his life in the arena that after
noon. Between the horns rosette was
firmly bound, and the lucky fellow who
could tear it off won gold piece and
lots of applause. Many daring youth
licked the dust that day. Several had
their shirts torn off, and received very
severe blows in the back, which doubt
less earned for them plenty of cheap
and wholesome advice when thew got
nome. One was pinned against the wall
between the cows horns and had a yerv
narrow escape. Sometimes there were
nearly one hundred men in the arena at
once, and this was one reason why none
we're killed outright, for as soon as ono
sportsman was knocked over all the
others rushed in and diverted the atten.
ton OF the poor infuriated brute. which
would finally get completely worried
out and baffled from the constant rush of
one and another. Thus the largest num-
Der OF men IN the arena served as pro-
tectlon rather than an increase of dan
ger. The prize was won three times in
succession by one man-young, 1.-the,
handsome, and apparently made of steel
and India rubber. He had genius for
that sort of thing evidently; but could
not help thinking how like that was to
the game of life-how many try, how
few win
The view of the galleries was scarcely
less animated. On the shady side of
the arena the throng was gathered from
every class, from the English nobleman
to the lowest canaille who could muster
a few sous to pay for back seat. Bril-.
liant costumes and elegant toilets were
not wanting to remind one of the scar
let togas and magnificent women of
Older times. The voluptuous and al
most imperial beauty of some of the
fair danes of Mines collected there in
that hour was never surpassed in the
brightest days of ancient Rome: and in
deed it was Roman blood that gave to
them fiery and almost fierce splendor.
such as may be rivaled but cannot be
transcended out of the south of France.
There were also present some fine speci-
mems OF masculine beauty. The people
OF Languedoc and Provence, if less in
teIlectual.looking than those of other
parts OF France, certainly present one of
tne noblest types of physical beauty
the world has seen. Throughout this
multitude the most vivid interest in the
game became more and more evident.
stimulated somewhat, perhaps, by the
aoslnthe, eau-de-vie and coffee which
we're lndustriously circulated by little.
oare-headed Ganymedes, who attracted
my attention by the way in which.
waiter aud glasses in hand, they walked
and balanced themselves on the beyeled
etge Of the wall in front of the lower
iier.
But the interest and excitement cul
minated during the recess between the
'ets, II one may so expressit The gate
was unbarred, and mob of boys and
youths rushed in to participate in A
GENE which was evidently a customary
part OF the programme. For a few
minutes they scattered about the arena
in search of coins which might have
been missed by those to whom they had
been thrown. Suddenly one of the
spectators hurled circular cake into
the air, and it fell spinning into the
arena. This was the signal for one of
the most extraordinary repetitions of
the Kilkenny cats fight that ever was
seen. Men and boys rushed together
IN perfect bedlam of confusion, eacb
trying to seize the cake. 1t was torn
into hundred fragments in nome At :
and now there rained hailstorm of cop-
per and silver coins, bonbons, cakes.
loaVes of bread and fruit, thrown by the
spectators, who were aroused to the last