The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1879-01-25

and he dies he dies in grace while the multitude.
maddened with enthusiasm over the show. scream
for another bull Such thing the killing of a
performer does not often happen The hope that
may be slain is pquant sauce for the entertainment
FASCINATION THE BULL FIGHT.
Such in brief is the bull fight i'll Spain. 1t is the
national amusement Kings attend to win popu-
larty. Poor Amadeus, when he was in Spain as Mac
caroni L. tried hard to like the fight and went often,
in the hope that Spaniards would take TO him kindly
as King But he never rclished the spectacle. They
say it took Montpensier some time to prove himself
a good Spaniard and enjoy the bull tight. 1t is the
amusement of the nation. ! suppose there must be
something else than cruelty in the spectacle for
OF the kindest and gentlest of men-an American
whom knew in Spain-a of tender nature, con-
fessed to me his passion for the show, and that
nothing entertained him But this all
destroying age is trampling on the bull ring. 1t is
not what it was. 1t begins to fall the prize ring
fell. 1t is mere show to make money. There is
even party for suppressing bull fights. This party
has memoralized the Cortes. They say that Spain
needs the bulls that the drain of bulls necessary for
the ring is tax the resources of the country;
that bull has so many higher offices than the bull
ring before he becomes that he should be pro-
tected. In generation or so bull fighting will go
the way OF prize fighting and other brutal amuse-
ments in which our ancestors took SO much pride.
THE BULL FIGHT PORTUGAL
Contrast the bull ring in Spain with what it is in
Portugal and you will more clearly what meant
when called attention to the more humane qualities
OF the Portuguese. The bull ring is much of an
institution here in Spain But all the conditions
change. 1t is q comedy. not tragedy; sometimes
negro minstrel farce. The arena is the same; the
bulls are wild. On going into their pens wooden
balls tied to their horns Connoisseurs divide the
bulls into classes There is the Wild harums carum
bull who rushes at everything and whom it requires
only moderate skill to fight. There is the i'm
petuous bull, quick to attack but with sense
enough to turn around and await the assault.
There is the logical bull, which does not waste
time the cloaks. There is the bull who, instead
of trying to toss the performer chases him out Of the
ring by sheer running power. There is the timid
bull who runs away and gives great deal Of trouble.
and the nearsighted bull. who is than at
all Finally there is the cunning bull, who has been
in the ring before and with whom there must be
triHing.
GENTLER ASPECTS OF THE SHOW.
There is quite much parade in the Portuguese as
in the Spanish bull ring but the purpose of the
show is to fight the bull and not STAY him. The
horsemen ride good horses. not abandoned beasts
horses trained to fight bulls. and not simply to be
cassesthose who throw darts, and another class Of
lively, active young men. who seize the bull by
main force and play antics over him. Some
times colored gentlemen offer themselves as
tossing material for the bull and then the fun is
screaming. The performers quantity dressed in
costumes Of past generations; the dart throwers'
natty costume like Italian opera singers, short and
embroidered velvet Jackets. and breeches gaudily
tinted white stockings and red sashes. When the
bull comes paving and prancing into the arena. in
stead of iron and leather clad horsemen broken
down omnibus horses to prod him with spears, the
foot performers in Italian opera costumes throw the
darts into his shoulder This exciting feat but
bulls have way Of lowering their heads and taking
their time before tossing and 1t is in this instant
that the performer throws his darts and skips over
the barrier. 1t is . question Of nerve and supple
ness reduced into seconds. The pain Of the wound
sends the bull capering around the arena and other
agile dart throwers have their chance. In the
time red capes and scsrfs thrown before his
eyes to excite him. After the bull has been worried
by the dart throwers and cape dangers the horsemen
attack him. The duty of the horseman is to throw
dart about four feet long into the bills neck and
manage his horse as to keep him from harm. Horses
arc trained to these experiences just in the West
they trained to hunt buffalo. and it is . dis
grace for . cavalier to allow his horse to come
to harm. As a closing act, some daring fellows
attack the bnll. jump his horns, seize his tail
and overpower him. This done, and the bull thor
oughly beaten. q half dozen trained with bells
around their necks driven in. The bull well
comes them friends and goes out in their
pany. The darts removed the parts rubbed
with salt and vinegar 1t is not often that a bull
goes twice into the ring He learns the trick the
first time. and il called upon for . second per-
formance stolidly takes his place in the and
watches his enemies skip around without budging
This is cruel enough to our Anglo-Saxon eyes and
would be sorry to even Portuguese bull fight
ing introduced into New York. But how humane,
compared with the bull fight in spainl The two
forms of amusement show essential point of va
rance between the two countries for in nothing
you read people SO clearly as in their amuse-
mcnts Alike in many things-shoots from the
tree-contiguous in territory, the languages in
affinity closely allied in all respects than any
other two neighborng nations in Europe. In one
you see progress in thought. public freedom. man.
ners and morasan effort to keep abreast OF the
fury. The best friends of Spain rejoice if they
sec that she is not than century in the rear
The influences that have affected Portugal, however
win In time awaken in Spain the better sentiment of
her people.