Sacramento daily record-union. [volume] (Sacramento [Calif.]) 1875-1891, 1886-02-06

cloud of dust concealed the animal from
view. Viva Pepito. viva" shouted his
unterrifed mother, as she waved her reboso
to encourage her boy; and the little fellow
struck his spurs into his horse and doubled
down to his work manfully. But now two
others are running neck and neck with
him, and the race for the lead and first
throw is most exciting. The men fairly
howl, the women shrek in frenzy, and
scream out the names OF their fayor1tes
" lza-Bernardo-per mi amor (for my
love-, Juan Maria-Viva Pepitol'
At length the lad loses the lead to tall
fine-looking Mexican, mounted on aeet
and powerful roam, who gradually but
surely FORCES ahead. At this instant the
sharp eyes of little Pope observes that the
bull swerves from his former course-a
movement hidden by the dust OF the lead
ing horseman. Quick as thought the boy
took advantage of it, and wheeling his
horse at a right angle from the original
course, cut off the bull. Shouts and vlvas
rent the air at sight of this skillful maneu-
yer, and the lad, urging his horse with
whip and spur, ranged up to the lert quar-
ter of the bull, bending down to seize the
tail and secure it under his right leg, Tor
the purpose of throwing the animal to the
ground. But here Pepe's strength failed
him in feat which requires great power
of muscle, and in endeavoring to perform
it he was jerked out of the saddle and
thrown violently to the ground, stunned
and SenSeleSs.
At least a dozen horsemen were now
striving hard for the post of honor. but the
roam distanced them all, and its rider,
stronger than poor Pope dashed up to the
bull, threw his right leg over the tail, which
he had seized in his right hand, then wheel
ing his horse suddenly outwards, upset the
bull in the midst of his wild career, and
the huge animal rolled over and over in
the dust, believing with pain and fright.
This exciting but dangerous sport exhib-
its the perfect horsemanship of the Next
cans to great advantage. The sport con-
tinues as long as bull remains in the
corral, so that at its conclusion, as may be
imagined, the horses are perfectly ex-
hausted.
ANOTHER EQUESTRIAN GAME,
To which we were treated next morning, is
called FL Gallo the rooster. In this
cruel sport an unfortunate rooster IS tied
by the legs to a tree, or to tall picket
driven into the ground, with its head and
neck well creased. The horsemen, starting
all together strive to be first TO reach the
bird. and Selling it by the neck, to burst
the strings which secure II, ana rlOe OH
with the prize. The well-greased neck
generally slips through the fingers of the
first few who lay hold of it: but as soon as
one is in. possession he rides off pursued by
the rest, whose object is to secure the fowl.
OF course in the contest which ensues the
poor bird is torn in pieces, the scraps of the
body being presented by the victorious pos
SCISSORS to their sweethearts as cages d amour.
What the ball and the skatlng-rink are
to Young America, bull-tailing and ell gallo
are to our g country cousins in Mexico.
1t must be remembered, however, that
neither are practiced except in rural COM
munities where amusements are ruder and
less abundant than in cities. Mexicans of
the better class never take part in them,
and many, indeed, have never seen them.
But without them life would be desert
waste for the bellies and beaux of lonely
ranches and isolated hacienda communi-
ties; how otherwise could the gallants show
their proves and horsemanshlp for the ad-
miration of the girls; how indeed could
one declare his love to his dulcinea, had
he not the mangled remains of rooster to
lay at her tiny feet? FANNIE B. WARD.