The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1897-08-08
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ATHRILLING BULL FIGHT
AASkEN BY THE LATE 5. TEAKLB
UALLIS ~ SPAN.
She AmPitheatre. tho Arena. the Chulos
the Picadores, fhe Matadores, the
right All Described Graphically.


As we rode into Ronda on the morning
We arrived. i met an Irish gentleman
whom ] had met at Malaga. and who had
come up, with his wife, TO spend the
summer ia the mountain air.
lie very kindly told me that he had Sc
cured "a box or balloon for the bull-hghts.
and would Doe happy 4 should join his
party.
Early. therefore. ON the morning Of the
10Th, We made our way into the Plaza,
FUN of expectation and excitement, as
the reader may imagine IL being our first
essay.
The amphitheatre At Ronda is a large
one. two stories high. and built Of stone.
The galleries are covered by q roof OF
tlles supported by stone columns, but
su the rest is open TO the sky The
distribution of the parts IS very simple.
First. is The arena, circular OF course,
surrounded by a barrier six feet high, Of
heavy planks inserted hrmiy into square
btone columns outside the barrier
,here is "a cOrredor. some SIX or eight
feet Wide. running the whole way round
md opening on the arena by four DOORS
ghero is Cd ledge upon the barrier, on
The arena side some two feet from the
Erouud on which the chulos step as they
leap over when the battle is too hot for
Mem.
The corredor around its outer circle has
mother barrier. considerably higher than
the first. and from the top Of that be-
xins the lower tier Of seats. These rise,
behind each other al a moderate angle,
and being nearest TO the fight are favor
cd as the choice resor- OF all the critics
and the fancy"
The second tier has benches. like the
first. which are freQucnted, chiefly by
the rO0rest classes. being cheaper than
the range below Il has, besides few
balconies. for families and parties, whence
you can watch tho sport quite at your
ease.
The doors which open from the arena
20 the CORRIDOR are placed at the cardinal
points OF the compass. That TO the
north leads out TO the main street
Through II the men OF war come strag-
Cling in as the appointed hour draws
nigh. They make their exit by the door
way opposite. which leads behind the
scenes."
From this last direction the new horses
end the new picadores come out, when
they are needed to supply deaths raw
ages. The western door is smaller than
the rest and leads 10 the tori. the bull
house. whore the victim Is in waiting.
Directly over the toril the Alcade sits.
surrounded by his fellow councilmen, the
municipal balloon being radiant with ra-
diant hangings Above the Alcades sta
tion is another box. Likewise upholstered
famously. where sit the royal and Illus
trious" Maestrarza-a sort of corporation
Instituted by Ferdinand and Isabella. for
the preservation of Castilian purity Of
blood. and now ranging, I'm its dignity
and functions somewhere between a Jocky
club and the House Of Lords.
Next 10 these dgnitaries sit the rever-
end clergy in their box magnificent with
crimson velvet. and. 20 be candid, that
box was better filled than any one / saw.
] looked I'm vain. however, for the dark
scowlinr priests" of whom Ford speaks
az snuifiug autos de 70 in roasted bull
flesh
They were Cat. comfortable old gentle
men. deep I'm the shadows Of their shovel
hats. and, n the outer man be any token
OF The inner. more likely TO enjoy as all
good Christians would. the odor Of a
roasted caoOn than the fumes OF heca-
tombs II hereties. If Mr. Ford had call
cd 20 see instead Of slandering them they
would. 1 dare say. have heapec Goals OF
FIRE upon his head by asking him to din
ner.
All OF the boxes / have mentioned are,
the reader will observe. upon the western
side-thc object being (as the sport IS
always IN the afternoon 20 leave the
function aries comfortably IN the shade.
There were two boxes opposite, upon the
sunny sido-one occunied by British ON
rers. up from Gibraltar. the other by the
gentleman whose guest / vas.
The sunshine annoyed uS terribly. I'm
tpite az the scioens asd curtains, and II
Na. easy 20 comprehend why even the
benches a la sombTa dn the shade, com
mand the highest prices In the balloon
" the officers the trumpeter was station
ed. who al the signals which the Alcade
fave with his white handkerchief. sound
Cd. from tine 10 time. the various sum
mons OF fight.
Down 10 the moment when the fight
was 20 commence the arena was fuli OF
people. vailirs. taking and making them
selves merry. when al things were
IN readiness. file OF soldiers cleared
the ring. TIE spectators gathered TO their
seats. the soldiers took stations dedi-
Gated 20 their service; the shouts and
screams. the ebes and jests tbromas
burlas), with which tho sovcreigns hao