, 1888-03-25

pllNdlt IVA VI IuG lIGStulDG OluICl Yllsudlg
the governor general here, located oppo-
site the music pavilion. Below, and half
way between on the other side, are the
chiqueros or stalls, where the bulls are
shut in darkness until the fight for their
lives to the death begins in front of which
is the entrance OF the doomed brute to the
arena. Exactly opposite these chiqueros
Is the puerta de los %tererOs, or entrance of
the bull fighters themselves, while every
where are stamped the castle and keys of
the national coat of arms, and from the
tops OF the standards marking the divi-
sions of the private boxes above float vel
low and red flags, the ensign and types of
the greed and blood of ~tyrannous Spain.
Beneath the rows and boxes, behind the
barreras, are a large number of apart
ments-tne c%antina, or the public restau-
rant; the salon de los tereros or the''green
room"'of the bull fighters; a butcher shop
where the dead bulls are dressed and
made ready for use by the hospitals OF the
city, to which they are given; the enter
mira or intirmary where the wounded or
dead are cared for, and a diminutive chap
ell with attendant priest, where the bull
fighter kneels before the virgin Ola Vir-
gen de la Soledad) imploring her protec-
ton during the combat, and where he
may receive the last sacrament should lie
be dragged out the reses muertes gate in
stead OF his dumb antagonist.
No description of a bull fight can be
made possible of comprehension, unless a
number of words, and terms whose avoid
ance of is impossible, are first defined.
plaza de toros, literally the bull place is
the circus or structure for the fiesta de
toros or bull fight itself. Ofthe actors in
the affair the espades (spades or blades,
from the swordl are the first or most
noted matadors or fighters, bearing the
same relation to the ordinary matador as
the "star" does to the leading" man
upon the stage. His work is to singly en-
gage and dispatch the bull when the ant
NAL has been sufficiently enraged to salts
fly the onlookers. Picadores are horsemen
clad in iron armor to withstand the on
slaughts of the bull. The picador is armed
with a long plea or pike with a blunt steel
point. Then come the banderilros, who
with no recourse of defense save their
alertness and ieetness, plunge ban
erlllas or barbed darts two feet long be-
decked with gay ribbons, into the bulls
neck to assist in engaging him. The chu-
los are a sort of general utility people to
succor a %dismounted picador or n one
wounded in the fray, or carry off the dead,
as not i%ntrequeDly happens. Last comes
the puntillero, who stands ready to
give the quoting stroke when the bull
is already fallen, if he may happen
to be tenacious of life in his death strug-
giles.
Nearly II, 900 people witness every one
of these more important ilestas de toros.
The half thousand soldiers are DIVIDED
into compact squads and stationed in var
ious commanding places in the a|mpithea-
ire. A few hundred women are here,
from among los mestlzos, or the mixed
bloods, a few of the poorer whites with
their husbands, and occasionally, in the
private boxes, the wives of high officials,
with here and there a curious American
tourist and her companions. Ten thousand
OF the people present are provided with
some hideous sound making device with
which to add to the din in emphasizing
applause or scorn. The band is playing
the liveliest of airs. Everybody is filled
with alert, excited expectancy. At pre-
ciselY 3 o'clock the governor general, who
acts as the president or master of cere-
monies, and staff, accompanied by digni-
taries and military officers of high rank
from the forts, enter the palco del presi-
dente and are greeted by applause and
groans. Behind the governor general
stands a trumpeter. At a signal from the
former, shrill and clear above the highest
notes Of the band, sounds the order to
begin. This is greeted with great applause.
Instantly the door OF the puerto de los
tereros opens and the gobernador, or di,
rector OF amusements, enters, mounted,
hat in hand, gallops to the b%arrera, in
front of the president. bows low to him,
and, being given the key which unlocks
the ~chiqueros, passes it to the chiquero or
bull keeper, and gallops from sight where
he entered. Then slowly comes the pro-
cession of espadas, matadors, banderlllerOs,
picadors, and chulos. The espadas and
matadors are bareheaded, their hair done
in cues. They are attired in spotless linen,
velvet jackets, ieweled sashes, silk knee
breeches and hose. and wear a low, easy,
close fitting shoe.
These costumes are of the c~ostliest ma
terial, and an espada Of pride and note
wears upon his person in attire and Jew
els the value of many thousand dollars.
The banderilleros and chulos are less ex-
pensively but still richly attired. Asthese
actors In the scenes to follow, perhaps
twenty in number, pass before the presi-
dent, ~salutlng him, and turn to the vast
throng with smiles and salutations, while
the band, the trumpet corps and the huz-
zas Of the assembled thousands grcetthem
in rOusing welcome. one catches in spite
of himself the strange contagion of the
place, and cannot but be momentarily fas-
clnated by this true picture of the middle
ages so stlrringly swept INTO the last quar-.
ter Of our nineteenth century. In the
hubbub and excitement your eyes fall on
the bold picadors with their long pixies,
their tawny yellow raiment covering a
hundred pounds of iron mail, and their
battered sombreros-tilting from side to
side on their blind folded screws of a
too poor to die, yet momentarily instinct.
lively inspired with terror-and you con
prchend the d~olefully ridiculous side of it
all.
But the righteousness of the crowd
and the, clamor of the musical instruments
have increased as those in the arena, cast
ing their bright colored capas aside, have
gracefully arranged themselves along the
birrera. The door of the toril opens at
the signal OF the trumpeter. A bander-
illero flashes his scarlet cloak at the wild
bull within his dark pen. For an instant
there is heard a threatening roar. An
nthar fash Of tho bota1 ooorlot ond 10 nnO