Morning journal and courier. [volume] (New Haven [Conn.]) 1848-1894, 1882-04-07

will take place. Admission 25 and 35 cents. |
A brick building 20Ox60 is soon to be add
ed to the Malleable Iron works, west of the
present buildings. Already spiles are being
driven in the ground.
A Spanish Bull Fight.
Scenes in the Great BuII-RInS of Madrid
On the Way to the Ring-The Sight
Within the NEUTRALITY-SUSPICIOUS. of the
Picturesque Procession-Tbe Fight and
the Cruel sport-Vtvid Pen Pictures.
Correspondence of the Boston Advertiser.I
Every stranger who comes to Spain nat
urally wishes to see the most characteristic
and peculiar amusement of the Countrywide
bull fight. I had been told that I should find
bull-fghts in Madrid in winter as we'll as in
summer, but that in other cities they took
place only in spring and summer. On my
arrival in Madrid, however, was disappoint
ed to learn that the rule was the same here
as in the other cities of Spain, and that there
would not be any bull-fghts until Casters
I made the best of it and supposed that
might have to leave Spain without seeing
one SO was accordingly delighted as well
as surprised after I had been here a few days
to see advertisements posted up about the
streets announcing performance. On the
day announced L found myself with thou
sands of other people on the road which
leads to the Plaza de Toros-the bull-ring of
Madrid, which is situated about mile from
the city on the vast brown plain which sur
rounds Madrid on all sides. It was bright,
sunny afternoon such as we have in October.
The road all the way was crowded with
people, mostly men, in the Spanish cloak,
dignifed and slow even when going to their
favorite amusement The bull ring is large
building of brick in three stories and like
Roman ampkitheatre, only it is round. [
took place in the front row nearest the
arena, which got not at the Office but of
speculator and considered myself lucky to
get SO good seat at the last moment. I en-
tered and found my place without difficulty
and then looked around. In the centre of
the arena is circle about 800 feet in dame
ter. This is surrounded by a barrier about
five and one-half feet in height built of planks.
Then there is passage about eight feet IN
width. Then comes the first division of the
| seats, consisting of twelve rows, all of great
| blocks of granite and like the seats of Ro-
man amphitheatre. This is the favorite
resort of the lower class of people, especially
of the tafcionados, " the gamins of Madrid
though the front rows are the dearest places
of all except the boxes. Behind these seats,
and separated from them by barrier, are
| six rows of wooden seats, which are covered,
| and are occupied by the better class of people
| and by strangers, though, owing to the dis
| lance and the height, there is not so good
view of what goes on in the arena. Directly
above these are six more rows of seats, also
| of wood and protected by a roof. These are
| the cheapest places. A part, however. of
| this upper division is composed of boxes,
| which are the dearest and worst places. just
| over the gate by which the bulls are admitted
| into the ring is the band, and Immediately
opposite is the royal box of the manager. In
| summer the seats in the shade are in great
demand and command high prices, but at
this season of the year the sunny seats are
! more sought for. This bull-ring will seat
| about half full. was in the most crowded
part and in the sun, whose heat was agreea-
BILE, though the light was troublesome.
| At precisely $3.50, the time announced for
| the beginning of the function, the trumpet
| sounded one of the side gates opened, and
| most picturesque . procession entered the
| ring First came the bandilleros, six in num-
Der, wearing shaggy black caps, Ight-colored
| jackets, reaching only to the waists, and
| knee-breeches gaudily adorned with silver
| and gold, tight.ftting white stockings and
| light slippers These marched in two rows
at some distance apart, and between them
| were the two espadas, whose costume was
similar, only more gorgeous. Then came
| four picadores, mounted, wearing whits ha is
| with round crowns and broad brims, with
| Jackets like the others, but their legs were
covered with buckskin trousers. under which
| are greaves of iron to protect them from the
| horns of the bull. In the rear of the pro-
cession is team of three gaily-caparisoned
| mules driven by grooms dressed in red,
and used to draw out the dead bulls and
| horses. After the procession marched
around the arena, two picadores and six ban
dilleros take their place in row at one side
near the barrier and all the others leave the
| ring.
! When the trumpet sounds, the door to
which all eyes are directed is thrown open.
For moment all is still as death. Then the
bull, handsome black fellow, about three
years old, with long sharp horns, enters the
ring with bound. Directly before him he
sees bandillero waving his cloak. he looks
| for a moment, and then, makes dash for it.
| The man let's him take it yn his horns. At
| ter trying to gore it, he soon shakes it Off.
| Then he sees another bandillero near him
| and makes a rush at him. and the man vaults
| over the barrier. One after another he drives
| all the rest Of the bandilleros out of the
ring. They never seek the protection of the
| barrier unless hard pressed, and often it
| seems Though the horns of the bull
| touched them as they make the leap. The
| bull, after five disappointments, seems de
| termined that the sixth man shall not es
| cape him SO easily, and he leaps over the
barrier after him with as much agility as the
| bandilleros themselves had shown. He was
| formers not in the ring, several policemen
and various employees. The bull takes the
first man he meets on his horns, and tosses
him completely over the barrier into the
| ring. This man was one of the espadas. A
gate is opened and the bull again enters the
ring, where his attention is again attracted by
g cloak shaken before him by bandillero,
whom he presses SO hard that he seeks the
protection of the barrier, and again the bull
follows him over it. This time people
the lookout and he does no harm.
On returning to the arena he makes straight
for one of the picadores mounted on his mis-
cradle Rosinante, which in any other country
would be killed. With one plunge he upsets
horse and rider. The latter falls heavily,
but is not seriously hurt Not with the
horse, which is so gored and torn that he
never rises again. The bull is about to gore
the PROSTATE steed again, with great danger
| to the rider, who cannot easily extricate
himself from the horse, when the bright
| colored cloaks are shaken before him. He
cannot resist the temptation and rushes off
after them, leaving the picador to extr1cate
| himself from the dying horse and leave the
ring. Another at once takes his place. The
| horses have the right eye blindfolded, and
they always managed that this eye is
l'turned towards the bull. The picador carries
| g. long javelin, at the end of which is a sharp
| steel point one inch in length. This the pi-
|
when he makes his onset. Of course, the
effect is to enrage the bull without doing
| him any serious harm. The bull now came
| face to face with the horse of the second
picador made ruse, struck the horse in the
breast and threw him backward upon his
rider. He was again drawn off by the cloaks,
and the third picador came up. This time
the bull plunged one horn into the horses
flank and ripped it open, making gaping
wound foot in length. The horse staggered
a few steps and fell. AS it was evident he
would never rise again, a dagger was driven
into his neck and he died instantly.
The trumpet sounded and the p1cadores
left the arena. Then one of the bandilleros
advanced straight towards the face of the
bull, having in each hand barbed dart
about two feet in length, colored with bright
colored paper cut in strips. When the man
was SO near the bull that he could have
touched him with one of his darts, the bull
lowered his head, and, just as he was about
to spring, the bandillero plunged dart into
each side of his neck and then lightly step
ped aside just in time to escape the bulls at
tack. The bull enraged by the pain caused
| by the darts hanging in his neck turned and