The evening tribune. (Pawtucket, R.I.) 189?-190?, 1897-04-05
.nLAICAN BULL RING.
a YANKEE NEWSPAPER MANS VIEW
OF THE NATIONAL SPORT.
The Rules OF the Game Favor the Men.
Cruel Treatment Received by the Horses.
A Disgraced Animal-The Jersey Bull
That Beat the Game.

That Beat the Game.
Everybody who has been trouting In
Connecticut owes the bull one at least, II
not more, and every boy who has lived on
a New England farm has wished he might
see the beaet come up with. So, with re-
vived thoughts OF the rough fences had
climbed and the tempting pools bad has
tily abandoned i went to bulllght In
San Luis Potosi one Sunday with far less
concern at the fate of the bulls than at the
fact that this was Sunday service. 1t did
not seem exactly appropriate even IL we
admitted that, with the churches opened
every day and the bull rings only OH Sun
day, the odds were to in favor of reli-
gion.
The bull ring rs several times as largo
as a circus ring and Is down at least five
feet below the level of the lowest seats. 1t
Is a circular space, set in solid masonry
wall, and the seats range upward like
Roman amphitheater. The bulls are let
into tho ring one at "a time through tun-
mel that comes out under the seats, and
inside the actual ring Is a stout board
fence, built all the way round, so that the
fight isconducted in the inner circle, and
all around that Is a narrow outside pas
sageway. The first qualification OF bull
fighter Is to be able to jump this fence.
At the least chance of being ripped open
he cuts for it and Is over like a jumping
jack. And, as il that wasn't enough, there
arc at convenient intervals barriers set In
the ring near the fence, and the Eight
ers, when close pushed, step behind these
and let the bulls horns rattle on the other
side. So much for the geographical layout.
/ asked the friend who accompanied me,
a resident for years in Mexico, why the
fence was broken by gates He said IL was
SO as to let the bull back into the ring il
he should jump over. 1 laughed at the
absurdity of bull taking such fiier, and
then the trumpet sounded, and the process.
sion entered and marched to the judge.
There were two men who alternately give
the fatal thrust, the fellows who stick the
goads into the beast, those who 1out
cloaks at him and the men on horseback,
who carry great boathooks with fishhook
points to drive him of when he charges
their horses The bull is given just one
chance He can only be dealt with Will,
charging. So long as he stands still the
etiquette of the ring protects him, and
when it comes to stabbing him only one
man can do that.
"Toot-toOtP went the bugle, and in
rushed the first bull amid the cheers of at
least z, 1000 people. He was jet black, about
years old and as full OF life and vigor as
any young creature on the plains. He took
q careful lock at the enemy lined up be-
fore him, trotted gently about for min
ute, then put his head down and started
on dead run-for the fence. He took il
like goat and landed in fine shape in thu
intervening space. What had seemed i'm
possible was done within minute Of open
ing the game. He was driven back and
made a new survey and seemed little
ashamed that he had failed. Then sud
denly no rallied second time, and with
q fiercer dash than before he not only clear
ed the fenco, but the intervening space,
and got his front feet on to the place
where, till that instant, a crowd was seat.
ed. They were not there when he landed.
He fell back into the passageway and nc
entered the ring. II he had tried again,
think he'd have gone clear up and joined
the spectators. But he evidently thought
it was the other fellows turn, so he just
stood and looked at them. They flourished
their gay cloths at him, but he only snort
ed Come on" and the rules of the gam.
forbade. Soon new "toot" was sounded,
and that meant "Take the bull out"
He had saved his life, but he wasn't out
of the ring. He had no idea Of leaving.
The fighters couldn't touch him, since the
signal had been given, and two finely
mounted cowboys came in. One lassoed
his horns and tried to pull him out, but
the bull weighed the most and leaned the
other way. Then the other lassoed his
heel, and the two started off in opposite
directions. This threw the animal down.
and he was hauled out on his side to g.
back to the plains in disgrace.
He ought to have been decorated and
dedicated to the founding of q race of
peacemaking, high kicking and fast run
ming cattle. Instead he will be used for
the boys who hope to be bullfighters to
practice on on the ranch. No bull is paid
for till after the battle, and if one fails to
charge his owner can't charge either
There are seven bulls at each fight, and
II two out of those are not killed you get
tickets free to the next fight. This time
the other six were killed, one after the 9th
er. They fought fiercely, charged around
the ring, scared the fighters over the fenc.
times without number and died hard, but
the odds were too many. 1t isn't very un-
pleasant to see bull killed. He doesn't
finch. He is game till it's over. But the
snaIncIul, lueACusuDlc DiTUiTltN VI tno
whole thing is in the fate of the horses
ridden by the picadors. These futile
scrubs, weaker than the old stage Horse in
his very last stage, are ripped and torn by
tho bulls most horribly. Four were killed
at the fight and others dreadfully mutilat
ed. The whole ring would be cleared anu
men, .horses and everything else done up IL
these Texan bulls had the brains to match
their bodies. They lack continuity OF
thought. Just rs their opportunity comes
they turn aside when a dozen steps more
right along the line and they would have
on their horns the fellows they were after
My friend told of some Americans who
brought down Jersey bull to their ranch.
Like his kind, he soon became hopelessly
ugly. They were going TO kill him, but
werc asked to give him to the bullfighters,
so there he went. They sent him into the
ring. Up went his tail, and down went
his head. He tore after whatever he saw.
Nothing could stop him, and the whole
fighting force found themselves outside
the fence and unwilling to go back. That
sight would have been fun, but unfortu-
nately it didn't happen I'm our day.