, 1888-03-25
IN THE ARENA.
Exciting scenes at a Bull Fight in
Havana.

copyrighted, lHSa.l
HAVANA, Cuba, March 10, 1SSS.-It
is hardly a fair thing to say that the
Spanish people are. as a race, a brutal
people because they will not iorego bull
fighting. They would be quite as correct
in pronouncing all English speaking peo-
pie brutal because pugilIsm, horse racing,
base ball, cooking mains and dog fighting
are pretty common among the latter. 1t
is no more brutal to kill a bull artistically
for money than it is to artistically pound
a mans head to Jelly for money. Span
ish wit, gossip, journalism, are no more
busted with the details, the fortunes and
mishaps OF the arena than is American
wit, gossip, journalism with Sullivanism.
In recent issues of a leading Boston jour
nal many columns were filled with com
mandatory remarks on pugilism by states
men, editors and clergymenl You could
not secure such expressions from the
same class of men either In Spain or
Cuba. Nor do the best classes in either
country visit bull fights. You will see at
some great American bull ontest 10, 900
all-around people-people who are not
very particular about their associations
occasionally; a few well-meaning ladies
who are out of their place; and some
other kinds of women. A bull fight in
any large American city would attract
precisely the same classes. So they do
here and in Spain. And that is all there
is in the sociology OF the bull fight. 1t
may be called a Spanish national amuse-
ment; but only that, because it is one ex-
clusively INDUCED in by Spanish people;
will draw the largest mixed assemblages,
and yield the most money.
The greatest living m%atador, the espada
primero of the world, is Francisco San
chez (alias Lagartiio). Undoubtedly he
is the most daring, brilliant and skillful
bull fighter that ever lived. His hand,
ling of the wild and savage bulls of lara,
ma is something marvellous. lie nov
seldom appears in Spain, $4,000 being
his price for each appearance. lie is Q
great pet OF the Spanish arlstocracy; il
very rich, and was the personal friend anC
registering companion of the late Kin.
Alfonso. Other famous fighters of on
day are Rafael Molina, Angel Pastor
Jose Gomez, Juan Sanchez Hermosilli
and Luis Mazzantini-now winning al
morn fortune in Mexico. The life o
the latter has been full of romance ant
adventure. He was destined for thu
priesthood. He possesses a poetic nature
ran away from the university at Madrid
Joined a band of strolling Gypsy musician.
and wandered many years through the
Spanish provinces, breaking many a fan
lady's heart, and at last having his own
heart broken by a peasant girl Of Aran,
juez. His friends finally discovered him
found him n position in the postal service
at Madrid, but he deserted this; wrote
poetry which was printed, but would not
sell; and sang in opera, but failed. Fl
nally he publicly announced that he would
become the most noted of Spanish mata-
doris. At this all Spain laughed, which
gave him note. But Mazzantini laughed
back, and gave the people this saying:
Not a king, but a tenor or n bull fighter
only, can ensIave Spainl' That gave him
fame. He is young, rich, and the only
rival to-day in the affections of the masses
OF Francisco Sanchez.
But Cuba has her great men of this
sort and her great bull fights, too. These
functions occur both II Regla, on the cast
ern side OF the harbor, and at the grand
plaza de Toros, in the outskirts of Havana
proper. They are always held on Sunday,
the great, bright, brilliant day of the week
in Cuba, also remarkable for its innumer-
able funeral corteges. Everything in
Sunday street life and action concentrates
at Campo Mario. From thence Paseo de
Tacon sweeps to the colossal statue of
Carlos III. At that point Calzada del
Reina Joins it, leading to the loot of the
mountain crowned by Castillo del Prin-
cipe. They form a splendid paseo nearly
two miles long, 300 feet broad, and fire.
quented on all evenings and Sundays by
brilliant throngs. Yesterday, as | had
been many a time before, | became a part
of an interesting crowd on its way to the
bull fight along this s%ccneful way. The
noted Colon, or Columbus cemetery is
reached by the same avenue. So hun
dreds of gay equipages, scores of cabal-
leros on horseback, maybe a dozen funeral
corteges with stately mourning mutes in
black at the heads of pure black or pure
white horses, fully 500 Spanish infantry
with a corps of trumpeters and the fine
military band from Morocastle, / 1000 peo-
pie afoot, and 10000 more in the porticos
and balconies along the way, provided an
interesting study en- route to the scene of
slaughter.
The Havana Plaza de Toros, is built
upon the same model as those in all large
Spanish cities. Imagine a circus ring
about 200 feet in diameter, with a floor OF
hard smooth clay, encircled by a stout
wood, or iron, wall six feet high, called
barrerA primcro, or first barrier, and 4
second one el barrera segundo, a few feet
distance, slightly higher, with c~irclIng
seats rising in tiers, like steps, fifty feet
above, and terminating in a row of private
boxes around the entire circus, the latter