Wichita eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1886-1890, 1889-08-20
A MEXICAN BULL FIGHT.
A THRILLING SCENE DESCRIBED BY
AN EYE WITNESS.

Siokening Features of This Exciting Pas
time-Fantastic Get Up of the Perform
ers and Cruel Exuberance of Spectators.
How the Bull Is Worried.
But we are going to bull fight So we
pass on I'D the street with the human tide
drifting in that direction Here is the plaza,
with its walks, and seats, and grass, and
trees, and in the ceater the bust of Juarez,
some time president of the republic, and
from whom the town took its name last year.
Before that it was Paso Del Norte.
We take our place in the press before the
ticket sellers stand, and when at length we
reach him ape informed in the tongue Of Ger
vantes that IN peso por cada--a dollar each
will admit U.s. Tickets in hand, up the
steps we GO On the landing is a group of
Mexican soldiers, with their dirty uniforms
and convict appearance, who do police duty
for the occasion Here is circular Enclosure
hundred feet in diameter and some twelve
feet high Around and above this the seats
rise in tiers, amphitheatre fashion. Fully
three thousand people occupy these seats,
while vast rabble, unable 20 raise the neces-
sary peso, are peering through the cracks In
tlae boards of the wall beneath
The show has not yet begun. The usual
conversational hubbpb isin progress Voueys
of supposed wit are fred in Spanish by
smart Alexsn atteach other across the arena
The lemonade and peanut fend is going his
rounds All at once blare of comets at our
backs makes Us jump with tho sudden impress
sion that the bull is upon US. Now a door
into thea arena opens and the performers enter.
They are fantastic in their scarlet jackets,
green sashes and knee breeches There are
half dozen banderillcros with their scarlet
mautels, wherewith they torment the bull,
and two picadrs armed with pixies and
mounted upon sorry steeds, and last, but not
least that distinguished person, the matator,
with his sword.
SnPLY PLAYING.
They make their obeisauce, the trunpets
flourish and after q morsent a large door on
the opposite side is opened All eyes turn
in that direction and here comes ons of the
animals which are to furnish the sport. All,
how rimbly lie scuds across the arena! How
he losses his head this, way and that and
glares around hfmi He is scared. In vain
they haunt the red cloth before him. He
dashes tho other way. The picadors prod
him and he tries to scramble over the wall,
greatly to the CONSERVATION of those sitting
above The bandeiilleros tease and torture
him, but to no purpose. He turns tell and
tries to escape. The fact is, he is only a
mitigated bull-a bull in the past tense, SO
to speak. There is a storm of jeers and Kisses
and he is driven out in disgrace.
The band plays. Now the door is again
opened This time p genuine bun enters.
He is magnificent beast, black as night,
and built for strength and artion As he
plunges in a tiny'dart of steel is hurled into
his withers. This enrages him and without
pausing he charges, head down and tail III the
air, upon his tormentor, who flies before him.
The scarlet cloth is interposed and he turns
upon the hahderiliero and chases him so holly
that the man drops his mantle and takes
refuge behind the strong screen erected
against the wall as retreat. The bull Is
baf1ed He turns apd is tr;impfihg and try
ing to gdre the offensive cloth when he is
challenged b9sgpother tqnderilAsro holding
Ing in each haud little dart wreathed with
bright oplored paper. Instantly the animal
charges furious,y upon him. Tho man does
not move and the spectators hold their
breath. When the horns are within foot
of his body the man makes a lightning like
swerve and thfnsts the kttle spears into tho
bulls neck as be passes He noars with pain
and ,endeavorsi TO shake off the darts, but they
gre barbed and still bangle to his neck
THE Eight ~ HARVEST.
Another rcd cloth Is Haunted before him.
His fury wakes. a vsuturesome picador
urges his horse toward him The horses
breast and SIZES are protected by guard of
heavy leather. The bun rushes upon them.
The man guards with his long Pile, which Is
pointed with a sharp iron spike, expecting to
hold the eul Off Bat he miscalculates the
force of the charge. The spike rips Tho bulls
skin and plows through his flesh, but the
horse and bis rider are hurled to the earth,
and the bull tramples and cores them N
transport Of fury. Tho man is underneath,
the leather guard tears like paper. and the
bulls horn Is buried In the horses flank. 1t
is a moment OF terror. The bull plunges and
roars, the poor horse groens and men shout
There are white faces turned away from the
frightful spectacle, 1t is but moment. a
handeriliero Seizes the bulls teil another
blinds him with his fnantel, and then his at
tention Is distracted. He leaves hiS victims
and chases these new ohjnots Of his wrath to
the screen on the other side OF the arena.
The picador Is quickly extricated, and the
horse lifted and carried staggering and
streaming with blood ont Of the Enclosure.
The man is only bruised a little, aud lhnps
out Of dangW as fast IS possible. Mean
while the bull has been wroaght to hrepgy.
The air around him is tilhed With Haunting
red His bloody neck is festooned with a
dozen carly wreathed darts, which his active
tormentors have thrust into him. He rusbes
blindiy hithRr and thither, but his ene,nAs
elude him on every hand.
Now comes the final scene. The mstador,
apparently a Hercules in strength, but rs
nlmble as cat, walks bareheaded INFO the
arena with his keen ghttering sword He
gracefully safutes the aist5enoe They cheer
him vociferously. The other performers re-
tire and he and the frantic bull are left alone.
The animal wet with blood and snorti1lg with
pain and fury, thunders down upon him. he
makes a sudden movement and graceful
sword play. Tue bloody horn all hut sra-es
his side. Bafied and raging the bull turns for
MS LAST charge Head down. nosuils wide,
eyes glaring, he ruSbes upon bis doom. There
Is a swift simmer of steel and the slender
blade is transf1ed IN the animals heart. The
quivering hilt upon bis massive back alone
is visible lie stops His limbs are rigid
His gigantic body is convulsed. he belches
forth torrent Of blood BE swaps, he reels.
he staggers, be tosterS, he falls,
Tue matsaoT plucks away his weapon and
tho barharoas crowd yen themselves hoarse,
but II is bloody, brutal and sioksaing spec
tacle. We have seen our frs. and last bull
fight. As we rise TO so the still gaspiny body
of the valiant beast, butche-ed to make
'greases" holiday, is being dragged isnobfy