The sun., 1897-05-09

stop. Tho multitude cheer frantically and
scores Of hats canes, and adobe dollars arc
| OF the matador. He bows his thanks. The bull
totters falls to his knees, and buries his nose in
point OF a dagger deep in the bulls brain. As
| the attendants hand the hats and canes TO the
excited people on the plank seats the bngle
| in. A rope Is fastened about the horns Of the
dead bull and he is drawn out. The spectators
wait ilnpaticntly for the next.
Six times was this performance repeated dur
| ing the afternoon. When six bulls are dead tho
game Is over for tho day. There are towards
among bulls as well men. The second bull
| that entered promptly jumped the fence, and
could not be induced to fight, The beachers
hurling all kinds OF epithets at the cowardly an.
imal. The referee needed their cries. and or
by S S
with bells fastened to their necks. When they
turned 70 go out the bull meekly, followed them.
The third bull trottcd In with the majestic air
OF lion, his tail swung to ono side. lie was .
big blnck fellow with magnificent horns and
three minutes, and almost kIlled two capeadors.
They escaped death by miracle. When tho
mat3dor drove his sword into this m m 6nl, he missed
from the animals body several inches, just hack
OF the toreleg Catcalis s And shouts Of derision
deemed himself. Deity he recovered his sword
and at the next attempt drove the blade in to
s eTe blood hS ss S @
The greatest Mexican bull fighter is ponciano
DiaZ. and he Is the most popular man in Mexico
with the masses. Some OF the feats he performs
are wonderful. lie will stand in the centre OF
the arena, sword in hand. and await the ap.
proach OF the bull. By a deft movement he
places his feet between the bulls horns, drives
his blade into the bulls heart, and with
draws il 80 quickly that there is not n stain left
on the silk handkerchief he draws the blade
through. He is the pcrsonihcation OF all that
is great to the people.
An American who has spent fifteen years in
Mexico says that the fight shocks you. but that
after you have seen throe or four and get hard
cned to II you will enjoy the spectacle. There were
six bulls and eight horses killed the afternoon
the writer visited tho Plaza dc Toris, and his
only regret was that he did not see bull
fighter gored.
II the troupcs do not give "a good performance
the referee imposes a fine of from 100 to $3.50,
which goes to the city treasury. The bulls are
bred ON purpose for the sport, and the original
stock came from Spain. The matadors receive
large salaries and q great deal of homage. The
troupes ride from their hotel to the bull ring In
open carriages and are sautcd all along the
route. A troupe OF Spanish bull fighters once
came to Mexico and received SlS0,O00 for
eighteen exhibitions Bull fighting is a scien-
tifc sport and not a hit.and miss game. 1t Is
also very dangerous work At Durango, on the
afternoon the writer saw tho fight in the City Of
Mexico. four performers lost their lives. two Of
them being killed by the same bull. At another
fight the same day bull tossed a man thirty
feet in the air. killing him instantly. Such ac-
cidents are wildly cheered by the crowd and the
bull gets credit for taking the opportunity.