The News-Herald. [volume] (Hillsboro, Highland Co., Ohio) 1886-1973, 1889-04-04
4 HoNpURAs svLL.FIoHr.
An Americas Traveller witnesses Bruta
Exhibition at Trulill0.

An Americas Traveller witnesses Brutal
Inhibition 1t Truji11o.
The national sport OF these countries,
which ape the customs Of their Span
ish ancestors, is the bull-Aght, but In
the skill shown by the professionals
the exhibitions can not be compared to
those Of Havana or Of larger Mexican
towns. Not having any bull-ring in
Trujillo, the plaza was fenced in on
three sides with heavy oak, the fourth
side Of the square being the fronts Of a
line OF houses whose occupants, during
the continuance Of the fight, could not
have their leomes without stepping out
Of the front door into the bull ring.
No sport is 30 attractive to the Hon
duranian as this, and he blocks out his
time SO well that the seductive game Of
poker, which he calls ''pohar," Is
never going on when his desire is to
be in the plaza. The fence was cov-
cred with urchins from miles around,
and many foolhardy 'landinos," or
half-breeds, were daring their ac-
quaintances to walk arm-in-arm around
the ring while the enraged animal was
being tortured by the picadors. On
two different occasions during the hour
i was watching, the bull twice left his
tormentors and butted through those
taking their daring promenade, and
with such success that two tools were
killed before the trained sui fighters
could control the bull.
or six bulls but one was deemed
worthy Of being killed; but in obedience
TO the yells and demands of the spec
tators, the ceremony Of saddling and
riding the brute had to be done before
the death, which requires what seems
at first the most reckless disregard Of
danger. A rope Is thrown over the
bulls horns with which he is dragged
to the fence, his head held close to the
ground, roaring with rage, while
strong saddle is securely buckled on
with two heavy horsehair girths. The
moment this is done cowboy, or
."vaquero." jumps into the saddle, the
bull is let loose, and goes roaring and
plunging and bucking with rage around
the ring. The vaquero tortures the
brute with spiked spurs, and after each
contortion or unsuccessful attempt to
unseat his rider comes the spontaneous
and deafening applause from the spec
tators, which increases the animals
rage.
Great agility and strength is neces-
sary, and the rider fairly takes his life
into his own hands when he springs on
the beast He is unable to dismount
until the bull is tired out with his tre-
mendous exertions. and then he Is
again dragged to the fence to be un-
saddled. The vaquero I saw was
twenty-five minutes in the saddle. and
when ready to dismount fell exhausted
into the arms Of his companions, too
weak to walk to his quarters; and it
was his grit and will power only that
had prevented him from being thrown,
gored, and stamped to death by the in
furiated bull during the last five min
utes Of the performance.
When the bull had been enraged to
the satisfaction OF all, loud cries came
from every throat for the ''matador,"
who was no more than a dark-skinned
mixture OF negro and Carib, and day
laborer in Trujillo. The cries had
hardly died away, when the slight;
symmetrical figure Of the matador ap-
peared. facing the bull on the other
side OF the ring as the exhausted
picadors retired. He was dressed in
chamois trousers, with a tight-ftting
black velvet blouse beautifully EN-.
broidered in gold and silver bullion,
while on his head was the regula-
ton cooked hat, with black ostrich
plumes.
For an instant the bull glared at his
new enemy, who stood bashfully tap
ping his leg with his sword as the
noise ceased. The animal seemed to
appreciate why the matador was there,
and with brute instinct rushed on him
head down to raise him on his horns.
The suspense was great as the bull
drew near, but not muscle OF the
matador moved. When the animals
horns were but two feet from the mo-
tionless man, he quietly stepped aside
and planted two spiked rods, one with
each hand, in the animals shoulders.
The bull roared with rage and plowed
up the earth In his efforts to stop in
his headlong rush, and to return again
to the matador. Three times the
infuriated bull charged him. and
three times the matador care
lessly planted the two spikes,
whom the spectators demanded the
death Of the bull. The man merely
examined the point of his sword,
stepped aside as before, dexterously
plunged his weapon to its hilt between
the shoulder blades until 1t pierced
the heart, and the animal fell quiver-
ing in death at his feet.
The enthusiasm knew no bounds,
men threw their hats over into the
ring, ,emptied their pockets of money.