Morning journal and courier., 1885-05-20
IN CUBA.

IN CUBA.
 | Sunday Amusements in Havana-A ksuII Fight at the RegIa Ring-The Grand Entry-Seme Hard Looking Horses-The Fight-A Rarbarous Spectacle. HAVANA, Cuba, April 3O To the Editor of the JOURNAL AND COURIER: l The bull fight, which in some countries is conducted on such plane that it may be called at least an artistic barbarism, has de- teriorated in Cuba until it only possess
 es the quality of unmitigated barbarousness. Of course, like every other sort of show in Havana, the bull fight always comes off on a
 Sunday. In the winter season you may take
 your choice almost any Sabbath of attending
 bull fight, a game of base ball, a perfor- nance at one of the theaters, circus mati-
 nee, a masquerade ball at the Casino, prom enade on the plaza, or one of a dozen petty cock fights The church countenances all of these entertainments except in the Lenten season. It only demands that the Sabbath shall not be given over to manual labor, and explains that it takes at least two hours of that to break the commandment.
 There-i is no regular bull-ring in the city p1 oper. From time immemorial the Havan- ese have contented themselves with crossing the bay on ferryboat and witnessing the national Spanish sport in village called Regla. Some day a ring may be provided right in town, but it will evidently not be until the existing financial depression has passed away, for the city authorities require ! that the amphitheater shall be built of stone as a safeguard against fire. Yet it seems sin gular to me that no one has had the enter prise to more than project 8 frst-class ring | in city famous for the spacious magnifcence of it's theaters and for the devotion of its citizens to the bull fight.
 l Like every curious traveller who comes to | the Cuban metropolis, had the weakness to trample the sanctity of our American Sab I bath under foot, and crush all the humanity out of my nature, by witnessing the demor- alizing spectacle of fight at the Regla ring. ! It was late in the season and only one or two fights were being held month Crossing the bay ferryboat I was landed close by the amphitheater, which proved to be as ! shabby and dilapidated building ever held together outside of Cuba I bought a ticket of speculator for two dollars in pa per. There was no box office apparent, and was given to understand that it is one of l the characteristic methods of procedure here | to succumb at once to the speculators. There
 
 marked 'ssol;' but these, as l rightly guessed, admitted the bearer to the sunny side of the amphitheater, where smmering and sizzling and literal parboiling were the fate reserved I for the spectator Both classes of tickets l were offered at fabulously high prices if the purchaser looked like stranger.
 Presenting my ticket I passed through a low door under the seats of the amphithea- ter. Ascending one of several flights of stairs, found myself at liberty to sit where pleased on the shady side of the building. Not having the nerves of slaughter-house attaehe, I got up as high as l could. The in l terior was far from imposing in the sense in which that term is ordinarily used. The seats were rough boards without backs, and with only narrow ledge below for the feet | to rest upon. The ring proper was enclosed ! by venerable palisade, not so high but that I the bull-fghters could leap over it ill case l they were pursued by his bovine majesty. There were four other places provided in which the men might take refuge in case the I time at their disposal warranted. These places were created by means of the con struction at equidistant points around the l arena of wooden screens about six feet wide | placed feot from the enclosing palisade. ! The dextrous way in which the performers would slip behind these screens was as pleas l ing to the audience as it was tantalizing to | the bull.
 ! At one side of the arena a gate through which entered the animals (human and brute) | that were engaged in the performance. On another side was second gate, out of which the yanuuished bull was to be dragged. Around the top of the amphitheater was a gallery provided with private boxes. These boxes, which were furnished with chairs, l looked as if they afforded the only comforta- ble seats in the house. Nowhere else were ladies to be seen, and there were not more than dozen ladies scattered through these ' ffu Of ovid ant 1 Iy American tourists, as I heard them pro testing earnestly in English that they didn't approve of the fight at all, and knew they shouldn't be able to sit it out; they really hoped their presence wouldn't seem to coun- l tenance the thing" I doubt if they succeed ed in completely smothering their consciences | by such very proper protestation. Let it be said to the credit of the Cuban women that they refuse to attend these exhibitions. We will not stop 10 inquire whether the reason that underlies this is the fact that it is not fashionable to attend bull fight. A few Spanish ladies were in attendance on the day in question.
 I Directly facing the entrance gate was 8 1 private box somewhat larger than the rest, and provided with high-backed chairs which looked fairly comfortable, though not by any means elegant. Here sat the judge, whose entrance had been greeted by applause, and near by him sat the trumpeter, whose blasts on a bugle regulated the proceedings of the occasion.
 The audience was neither large nor select | Its slimness was doubtless due to the lateness | of the season. The fight was advertised to begin at four o'clock, and the hour previous was made lively if not dismal by the strains of melancholy brass band that was seated immediately under the judges box. Some small boys drifted around among the specta | tors also, endeavoring to sell peanuts, con | fections and especially 8 sort of framework decked with bright-colored paper, intended as an offering to be thrown at the most val orous of the bull fighters. At length bugle note sounded, whicn was the signal for ope- rations to begin. The gates opened and in pranced two horses mounted respectively by | man and very small boy. Both horses were spirited to an interesting degree, the pony upon which the boy was mounted be- | ing especially restless. The man tossed his l hat to the little boy and the two rode up be | fore the judges box opposite, where the GUS | tomary complimentary address was paid to | the judge. Behind these equestrians rode | half dozen others somewhat fancifully at | tired, with sombreros on their heads, long spears ln their hands, and lemon-colored | breaches padded thickly from the thigh | down, so that in the event of the riders be- | ing thrown under the horse there would be little damage done. These men were mount ed on the most venerable and worthless
 horses that could be drummed up in the
 whole island of Cuba
 In this connection I may offer few re-
 marks in substantiation of the statement