New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1890-03-10
GATEWAYS OF THE PLATE.
Ill.
A SPANisH.AMERICAN SUNDAY.
BULLFpGHTING IN MONTEvIDEO-A HORRIBLE
AND DEGRADING sPoRT-sLAUGHTER


OF HORSES AND BULLS.
FROM s1.rF CORRESPONDENT OF The TRIBUNE
Montevideo, January IL.
Standardization disposes of his religious
duties early in the morning on Sunday, ana re-
serves the remainder of the holiday for exciting
Measures. The regattas, the horse-racing, the
lottery-drawincs the best operas and above every
thing else the bull-fghts, are always arranged
for the first day of the week. The Montcvideans
are European in feeling, and enjoy having a
rollickng GOOD time Oh Sunday. Those who are
RELIGIOUS GO to mass in the morning, and then
nlav cards or billiards or dsport themselves as
they prcfer until midnight. The banks and public
offices are closed but the shops are open through
ont the afternoon and evening. Bands OF music
play liz the public squares. Fireworks ana oonio'
are set of before noisy crowds There is dancing
at private houses. Joy is unconfncd r"iS 10
shot as il flies 1t is weekly carnival.
Great things were expected of this second sun
day of the New Year. There was, BEST Oh al,
national regatta, with various classes Oh en'i4e'
and q chance for fine outing IN the harooi' ~
was one of the leading aquatic events u O''
summer, and attracted great concourse oi spe0-
tators One of the finest races was thaU III "nio"
crews from the men-of-war PARTICIPATED ."o
American crew from the Tallapoosa, pulling twelve
oars, were easy winners over the hhslSn' 'p"n',"
and brazilian crews 1t their race from 'he
s,art sunor;or training and organization being
shown almost in the opening stroke lhere were
,ssor.oos in another quarter and the ballet COM
NAMES danced and postured before big audiences
=, ,ho .veniro But what made it red-letter
DO, IN tho memory of the ardent and ehuslNe
Corisb American was the bull-fght his was
ono Of the most wonderful town shows ever seen
4. ,for+ov;deo There is bull-iiSht every SUNDAY
drr;rc the summer in the Plaza de Ioros, DuC hoO
- bo+tlo ROYAL with matadors and plcadors lio'n
Madrid. nor with celebrated Spanish s'ocN Vi
nediUree and the highest breeding. lhesc "ei'
not Uruguayan cattle, fit only to run amuch az -
NV toir Tbore were famous Spanish bulls
known as Riaero, Corcito Iruquero' Azaii"h'io
Jovero and Toedano, and trained Tor the recIea
+;on of ROYALTY and the grandees III Mauliu 'o-
-. .hoso nicadors and bandcrilleros stah1e-poys
.rto hod escaned from the Uruguayan ca'tie-pehs
and were masquerading in colored ueh's anu
chained armor. These were the accomplished
bullbaiters whom the great and the only M'1~'n-
tini had united in combination OF all inc 'ser''
Of the bull-ring There were vlsl'ors Al 'No
CITY who had come thousands OF nnes !" '.'
this struggle between brute man anu oru'e DaN
Bull-fghts are advertised on sunday morning
with SIMPLICITY and effectiveness. Drummers are
49, .hrnrob the streets to beat lively rat-a-tat'
,vh;,e urchins in fantastic costumes distribute OIL
.h s;d.1ralhs yellow handbills of the approaching
ar+ertainment / am told that In Lima uhe
caudv decorations to be worn by the ouls III cnc
ring. and also the lances and SWORDS WIFI "i"O',
4hev are to be tortured and SLAIN, are cariieu
about the streets behind fageolet ana drum
There was slight need on this Sunday morning ="
s+,,,,atn tho interest of the public. BY noon tho
+ro,oors with their white flags marked "loros
,,era already crowded with passengers. Duiln1
four successive hours the thoroughfares leadhs'
% tho amnhitheatre were filed with noisy Jewellers
Fastening TO the show. Long lines OF carriages
ond draas were in motion: women gayy dresser
we're in the motley throng, ana children Ill 'Aoii
freshest clothes were taken In family parues do
a rreat treat to see the bull-iight. Vendors oil
60 craamcakes. sweetmeats and beer swarmcd
about the entrances. There were no sldeshows'
,.;tbor a fat woman nor pair Of living Skeletons
Tho tbronr only had eyes for the Spanish ouliS
The amphitheatre at o'clock must have con-
to;red from 5000 to 900 spectators, VINO hau
Maid all the way from So to SIS for seats ii was
an impatient multitude weary Oh the Jahsnns
music of two OF three brass bands, ana cfy@s
ont for the appearance OF the bulls. lhe cenoi"i
ring was covered with sand and fenced OH oy
high Mailing. with here and there narrow opening
r largo enough to allow o man 10 pass thTough
few feet further out there was second con-
centric line of paling, the space between tho
FENCES being base of retreat and refuge iof
the stable-men during the progress OF the natue'
Twenty feet further toward the spectators there
was n third barrier for their protection. bull
sometimes leaps the palings and tears throueh
this outer court, and policemen, who would prob
ably have been the first to run il such an accident
had occurred. were stationed at regular distances.
x,o fiprn
the uppermost line of covered boxes was reached
There was not an empty seat in the vast amphl-
,bea,re when the bucles sounded at o'clock.
The first act in the show was the triumphant
entrance of the anita gonists of the Six bulls. The
master Of ceremonies led the way, glittering with
suancles and tnsel Then came the five pcadors
mounted on Cayly comparisoncd but wrctched cobs.
each Respondent in tights and heavy chains, ana
carving long lance with sharp blade Inc
chains. or armor, were for their protection, so
that their legs and arms would not be broken
if their horses, gored by the bull, should fall
mon them Behind the picadors were seven
banderilleros, with braided jackets abaze with
tinsel ornament, and green. yellow or blue tights
Each carried long trailing capa, or shawi, Ined
with scarlet cloth. from which they get the name
of capeadors. Several of them had also the
murderous darts which were speedily TO be thrust
into the necks of the Infatuated bulls Behind
the picadors. bandcrilcros and matadors were
the servants in red and blue jackets, who speedily
retired to the court between the first Two palngs
The bulls foes were stationed here and there
about the ring. The bugle sounded and OUT came
the bull. as black as night, and with dazed anc
bewildered eyes. He halted midway IN the TINS
on the defensive. a banderillero shook OUT
cana. with its red lining in front of him The
bull broke into a run, and charged upon his zoe
who in an instant had leapt the paling The
battle bad begun.
The first stage of bull-ight is the mos
exciting. The animal pursnes one capcador af'ei
another being nfuriatcd by the red cloaks which
are trailcd in front of him or flung about his
horns His tOrmentors. when closely pressed
either slide through the openings of the fence
or leap over it, returning in an instant to renew
Inn aril