Hopkinsville Kentuckian. [volume] (Hopkinsville, Ky.) 1889-1918, 1889-07-16
A HONDURAS euLL.FioHT.
An American Traveller Witnesses brutal
Exhibition Mt Truillo.

An American Traveller witnessed Drutai
Exhibition Mt TruJiiio.
! 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
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 so attractive TO the Hon
duranian rs this, and he blocks out his
time so well that the seductive game OF
poker, which he calls ''pokar," Is
never going on when his desire Is TO
be in the plaza. The fence was COW
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
] was watching, the bull twice left his
tormentors and butted through those
taking their during promenade, and
with such success that two fools were
killed before the trained bull-aghters
could control the buu.
OF six bulls but one was doomed
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
mt first the most reckless disregard OF
danger. A rope is thrown over the
bulls horns, with which he ia dragged
TO the fence, his head held close TO the
ground, roaring with rage, while a.
strong saddle is securely buckled on
with two heavy horsehair girtha The
moment this Is done cowboy, or
"vaquero." jumps into the saddle, the
bull is let loose, and goes roaring and
plunging and buclsing 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 a'.'''''a'-aa''
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
Hntil the bull Is tired ont with his tre-
mendous exertlons, and theu he Is
again dragged to the fence TO be uD-
saddled. The vaquero 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 70 his quarters; aud II
was his grit and will power only that
had prevented him from being thrown.
gored, and stamped to death by the In.
durlated bull during the last five min
ltes Of the performance.
; When tho bull had bon elraged TO
the satisfaction OF all, loud cries came
from every throat for the ''matador,"
who was no more than a dark-s1inned
mixture OF negro aud Carlb, and a day
laboref In Trrjllio. Tho cyIes had
hardly died away, when thc slight.
symmetrical figure of the mntador up
peared. facing the bull on the other
side of the ring as the exhausted
picadors retired. He was dressed in
chamois trousers. with ught-nttlng
black velvet blouse beautifully en-
broidered in gold and silver bullion,
while on his head was the regula-
ton cooked hut, with black ostrich
plumes.
For an instant the bull glarod III his
now enemy, who stood bashfully tap
ping his leg with his sword as the
noise ceased. The animal seemed to
appreciate why tho matador was there,
and with brute instinct rushed on him
head down to raise him on his horns.
Tho suspense WINS great as the bull
drew near, but not muscle Of the
mdtador 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