St. Landry democrat., 1885-08-22
A MEXICAN BULL FIGHT.
A Noted Divine's Description Of
the Cruel Sport.
The Ring, tho Champion Slayer and the
BuIl-The Deafening Applause Which
Greeted the Victoria Brutal Ex-
hibition witnessed by Thousands.

Being ia che Cityof Mexico, and never
expecting to revisit thatinteresting Cap
ital, I deemed it a duty to witness the
Spanish national sport of bull fighting.
Just as l would wish TO see a cricket
match in England or a base ball game
in the United States, SO ] wished to see a
bull fight in Mexico. The sports and
pastimes of a people indicate, at least in
part, the quality and tendency Of their
civilization. Such sports and pastimes
MAJ not at all comport themselves with
either my individual tastes or my moral
standards, but, all the same, they do
give me the educational advantage of
comparing my own with those of others
and large masses of people. 1t is al
WAYS well, moreover, to assume that no
custom takes root and grows up in the
national life OF a people unless such
custom meets some want and demand OF
human nature. which want and demand
are right and not wrong, and which
are permanent and not temporary.
The "Turos'' were held at HuisachaL,
a suburb seven miles distant from the
CITY. and which is reached by street cars
as wen as by carriage and on foot. The
cars. which left the capital in trains
every fifteen minutes, were just filled
with passengers, and no car carried
more than its complement. The roads
were lively with handsome equipages,
and the foot-paths were thronged with
thousands who gayly and happily wend-
ed their way along these amply shaded
and beautifully kept roads. In the midst
Of the crowd were men and women,
bows and girls, selling cakes and fruits
and doing a lively business in supplying
the thirsty with ''pulque, 4 the Mexican
national drink. The throng and their
pleasant excitement quite reminded me
IF the London crowd pouring out OF the
metropolis for the races on Derby day.
During all the afternoon ! saw and
heard nothing boisterous, or even I'M
seemly. The lower classes OF people
were poorly clad, the men for the most
mart being dressedin muslin trousers and
Jackets, and the women wearing
their most costly attire on
their heads. Still these bore
themselves with self respect and a GER
tain SAVIOR faire which seems denied to
the Anglo-Saxon races. There was a
graceful swing of demeanor, q certain
Thvme of movement, an obvious poetry
of feeling, characterizing the crowd
that n never sees except in the Latln
people. Perhaps the most salient Tea
fure of q Mexican crowd is color. THERE
e ALMOST a BLAZE OF COLOR. To me
this is most pleasing. My eye is al
WAYS enchanted by brilliance. The PEG
pie dress in bright, aye, in glarlng colors
The hats of the men and the headgearS
Of the ONT are picturesque In Q sur
passing degree. Mingling with all
This wealth of color in thin attire OF the
neoDle are flowers of richest and mos
GORGEOUS hues. ALI the people carry
bowers. The most perfect in shape ano
health. the most pleasing in variety anc
4ints, these flowers are cultivated inter-
aDv III eyery available spot in thev lcln'
itV OF this quaint and romantic capital
and are sold for q song. | bougnt !
neck Of rosebuds, the most exqulslteiJ
lovely have ever seen, for ten cents.
When we arrived at Huisachai w
stepped out Of the car intoa CROWD Q.
st least 5,000people, who were aWaltlns
the opening of the ball ring. Ins Tina
is an amphitheater; the clrcumferenc
az which [ should say is about SIX y
dred feet. a. boarding ten feet hlgn In
closed the inner ring, and rising r
this inner ring in tiers were seats ane
private boxes for the spectators. Ther'
are seats for at least 10000 people, AM