Lyon County times. [volume] (Silver City, Nev.) 1874-1907, 1893-05-20

1--WE had better go to the house as
soon as possible said Estenega. ut is
nearly time for the bull-bear fight, and
we must have good seats"
They forced their way through the
crowd, dismounted at the door and went
up to the corridor The Castros and
were already there with a number of
other invited guests. The women sat in
chairs close to the corridor railing; sew
eral rows of men stood behind them.
The plaza was jagged circle surround
ed by dwelling houses, some one story in
height, others with overhanging balco-
nies; from it radiated five streets. All
corridors were crowded with the ele-
gantly dressed men and women of the
aristocracy: large black fans were way
ing; every eye was flashing eypectantly;
the people stood on platforms which had
been erected in four Of the streets.
Amid the shouts of the spectators
two vaqueros, dressed in black velvet
short clothes, dazzling linen and stiff
black sombreros, tinkling bells attached
to their trappings, jingling spurs on their
heels. galloped into the plaza, driving a
large, aggressive bull. They chased him
about in n circle, swinging their reatas.
dodging his onslaughts. then rode out.
and four others entered. dragging an I'M
willing bear by reata tied to each Of
his legs By means Of a long chain and
much dexterity they fastened the two
beasts together freed the legs of the
bear. then retired to the entrance to
await events. But the bull and the bear
would not fight. The latter arose on his
launches and regarded his enemy vgr4.
)ut the bull appeared to di5aain the be
as too small game. He but lowered hl
aorns and paved the ground. The spec
sators grew impatient. The brave c;.bal
ieros and dainty dones wanted bloo4
They tapped their feet and mGr1nure
ominously. As for the populce. they
howled for slaughter.
Governor Alvarado made a sign 70 on
Of the vaqueros. The man rushed ab
ruptly upon the bull and hit him shari
blow across the nose with the crue
quirto The bulls dignity vanished
With the quadrupeaian capacity fo'
measuring distance he inferred that tht
blow had been inflicted by the bear. VIII,
sat some twenty feet away mildly iick
ing his paws. He made savage onset
The bear, with the dexterity Of Il vague
70, leaped aside and sprang upon the rs
sailant's neck, his teeth meeting argu
mentatively in the ropell6e tendons
The bull roered with pain ard rage and
attempted to shake him of, but he hung
on. Both lost their footing and rolled
over and over amid clouds Of dust, a
mighty noise and enough blood to salts
fy the early thirst of the beholders
Then the bull wrenched himself free
Before the mountain visitor could scram-
BILE to his feet he fixed him with his horns
and tossed him on high.
As the bear came down on his back
with a thud and snap which would
have satisfied bull less anxious TO show
what bull could do the victor rushed
upon the corpse, kicked and stamped and
bit until the blood spouted into his eyes,
and pulp and dust were indistinguisha-
BILE. Then how the delighted spectators
clapped their hands and cried "Bravaf
to the bull, who pranced about the plaza
dragging the carcass of the bear after
him, his head high, his big eyes red and
rollingl The women tore off their rebosos
and waved them like banners, smashed
their fans and stamped their little feet.
The men whirled their sombreros with
supple wrists. But the bull was not sat
isfied. He paved the ground with de
manding hoofs, and the vaqueros gal
loped into the ring with another bear.
Nor had they time to detach their reatas
before the bull was upon the second an
tagonist, and they were obliged to retire
in haste.
Estenega, who stood between Chonita
and myself, watched The Doomswoman
attentively. Her lips were compressed
fiercely; for moment they bore strange
resemblance to his own as | had seen
them at times. Her nostrils were ex-
panded; her lids half covered her eyes.
"She has cruelty in her" he murmured
to me as the first battle finished. land IT
was her imperious wish that the bull
BnOulu VIII DcCduso uo 10 ING iioic ioiN4l
animal, She has no sympathy for the
poor bundle of hair and quivering flesh
that bounded ON the mountains yester
day. Has she brutality in her?--just
enough
"Brava! Bravar The women were on
their feet: even Chonita for the moment
forgot herself and beat the railing with
her small fist. Another bear had been
impaled and tossed and trampled. The
bull, painting from his exertions, dashed
about the plaza. still dragging his tirsl
victim after him. Suddenly he stopped
the blood gushed from his nostrils; be
shivered like u skeleton hanging in thu
wind, then fell in an ignominious heap
dead.
4 md