The Somerset press. [volume] (Somerset, Ohio) 1873-1977, 1881-11-03
A Mexican Bull-ilght.

Last week, however. handbllIS and
posters announced that on Sunday there
Monld be grand :. Corida di Toros''
at the hacienda of Morales, Just outside
OF the Federal District. In the Federal |
District local legislation forbids bull
lighting. and none has been witnessed
since the close of the Austrian inter-
yention, but as the line is only four or
i've miles from the city, with easy COM
munication, there is not much gained
by the sacrifice made to decency and
humanity.
Our party of three took carriage at
the market stand, and in an hour fr ON
tie hotel we were at the scene of the
sport.
As four o'clock and the band struck
simultaneously. the crowd, which had
been yelling itself hoarse and whistling
and kicking, arose in an outburst of en-
thusiasm such as supposed Mexico in
capable OF. and the amphitheater pre-
sented very brilliant appearance. The
Mexican is more picturesque than the
Yankee and there was every hue and
shade in the Kaleidoscope mass that
fiuttered and glittered in the blazing
sun and sombre shadow. The adver-
tisements had announced that the
cuadrilia, or company of toreadors, was
complete in every respect-espadas
picadores, banderilleros, capas, locos
and matadores in all they
were. and very attractive sight they
presented as they defiled into the arena
amid the huzzas of the spectators. The
footmen had stepped out of the opera of
Carmen in jackets and knee-breeches
of satin, scarlet and green, and blue
and black, all laced and slashed with
silver, and with white stockings and
pumps, and the black astrachan caps
with tapping wings of the opera. Two
lassadores were mounted on handsome
studs, but the picadores! Their mounts
were veritable crow bats, shielded with
armor of leather cut like coat of mail.
The heavy gate of the bull-pen was
swung open and a cupa waving his red
cloak in front of it stepped nimbly out
of the way as huge, black bull dashed
in at full speed, but not fast enough to
escape two banderillos, which were
planted in his shoulders from above as
he dashed in. He was very mad at this
reception and made straight for the
crowd, who were waving their cloaks at
him in the center of the ring. When
he had reached the spot they had scat
tered and he fixed an ugly look on the
blear-eyed, leather-coated Rosinante of
the nearest picador. He walked delib-
erately towards his victim, but was
much surprised at finding himself pinned
down by blunt lance thrust into his
shoulder just as he was ready to charge;
he kicked up behind and tossed his
horns, but the firm arm of the picador
held him at bay, while the blood
streamed from his wound. He turned
away. trotted angrily towards another
picador. charged into him and banged
the horse and rider head over heels on
the ground ten feet away. But he didn't
want to hurt anybody. He hugged the
barrier, tried to jump it, tried to get
out of the gate; the whole quadrille
commenced to chivy him; they lodged
around him, Haunted their banners over
his horns, and he turned and charged
and chased, stupidity directing his rage
against the banners and not the men
who nimbly capered out of his reach.
just as this sport commenced to grow
tame q bluff old Confederate Major
from Texas who was one of our party
blurted out. "Great heavens! That 8
horrible" What was it? A horse
and rider lifted bodily in the air
and thrown over backwards with
| the brute's poor belly ripped wide
| open and his bleeding entrails bursting
out over the sharp horn that had done
| its work. Horse and rider pick them
selves up, lassador throws his lasso
deftly over the neck of the death strick-
en- beast and leads him out. The bull
has got his work in now; he charges an
other picador and no lance can hold
him back; he stands under the horse,
plunges his horns again and again with
an angry toss into the helpless belly O1
the horse, aud when the footmen tempt
him away the whole assortment of the
horses insides is trailing and stringing
on the ground, so that he steps on his
own entrails and tears them asunder as
he is led away. This is bull fighting,
but the ladies all look away; the crowd
hurrah and cheer.
The picadOres have furnished sport
enough, and the first act ends as they
retire.
The second act is played by the band
} erilleros. The banderillo is a barbed
dart decked with tinsel and paper flow.
ers and streamers. The banderillerc
takes one in each hand, and as the bull
!, charges him he escapes the angry horns
by about six inches, leaning over as he
Jumps away to plant the darts one or
each side of the bulls neck He take.
two more and at the next charge plant:
them and two more, until the bul
wears a collar of tinsel torture which ht
: cannot shake off. He dashes right ant
: left at everybody and everything, bu
he is tired and losing strength; h,
is bleeding from dozen wounds. whit,
s(aver hangs from his mouth, he pant
and stands still. He is ready to give VI
the fight and go home, but he mus
lot leave the arena alive.
The last act ends the barbaric trag
e sdy. The leader of the cuadrilla, th,
great Ponciano Diaz, steps forward
scarlet banner in one hand and
straight sword in the other. He is
!, handsome. athletic young fellow O
u twenty-seven, with bright eyes an,
cleaning white teeth, and his Jet blacl
e hair tied up in a pig-tail. He wave
q his banner at the bull, which charges a
him; another wave and another charge
: but as the bull rushes by he takes
downward thrust from the sword s.
s quick that the eye can scarcely folloy
a it, but we sse the sword red with bloc,
for two feet of it's length. Diaz turn
= away carelessly without looking at hi
victim; he knows that thrust went t
}. the bulls heart, and the bull knows il
h he stands still. humps up his back. hie
+ coughs in helpless way, falls on hi
knees, sinks to the ground; butche
steps up, plunges short knit
= into the spinal chord and the bu
Il is dead. The band strikes up livel
If air. three jet black mules with noddin
plumes and hitohed abreast are drive
!. in, and they drag out the carcass wit
. clown sitting on its ribs.
Five fine bulls were killed that afta1