Greenbrier independent. [volume] (Lewisburg, Va. [W. Va.]) 1859-1980, 1897-08-12
MISCELLANEOUS.
BULL FIGHTS IN MEXICO.
BRUTAL. "SPORT" GRAPHICALLY
DESCRIBED.

Every Mexican city has one or
two bull rings, and in at least two
cities there are double rings where
two fights can be seen at the same
time for one admission fee, on the
plan of the big American circuSes.
Troupes Of bull fighters travel from
one city to another, just the same as
circuses, playing engagements of
several weeks in each city and re-
ceiving a stipulated sum for each
| performance.
Bull fights are held on SUNDAYS
and feast days. 1t was to the Plaza
de Toros bull ring that the writer
made has way. This ring is shaped
like an amphitheatre, open to the
sky. The arena Is enclosed by a
plank fence four feet high, with a
rail foot wide, eighteen inches from
the ground on the inside, on which
performers step and vault over the
fence when too hotly pursued by an
angry bull, landing in narrow alley
that separates the fence from the
first row Of seats. The arena is 200
feet i'm diameter, and the floor is of
sand, packed hard. Back of the al
ley twenty tiers Of plank seats rise
up. Above these are the boxes, fur
nished with chairs, crowded closely
together. Facing the arena on the
first tier of seats is the private box
Of the referee and his bugler, and
near by is the band stand. The am
phitheatre will seat 10000 people,
The admission ranges from % cts. to
81, seats on the sunny side of the
ring costing just one-half as much as
those in the shade. A box costs
from IS to $50, and will hold from
four to ten people.
The fights begin at 3 O'Clock and
end at 6, but the crowd begins to ar
rive an hour before the sport begins.
Mexican poems are poor, but none of
them is so poor that he cannot dig
up money enough at least every
other Sunday to buy ticket for the
bull fight. They sit so close together
on the sunny side that their broad
brim, high-crown straw hats resem.
BILE circles Of tOad-stools. The we'll
to-dO and fashionables occupy the
boxes, and there is always liberal
sprinkling of foreigners in the audi
ences.
Twenty minutes before 3 O'Clock
the band arrived and was welcomed
with "A prolonged cheer from the
bleacherS. The leader arose and
bowed his Acknowledgements, and
then the band struck up quickstep.
Then came the referee, and he was
cheered too. The referee is a Gov
ernment or State official, and has
charge of the performance. 1t is
his duty to see that the bulls have a
fair show, to impose fines if men,
bers of the troupe do not put up
good fight, and to act as master of
The sport is governed
by as stringent rules as prize fight
ing. One rule is that the bull must
always be attacked from the front
never from the rear or side. To vio-
late this rule means fine and an un-
merciful scoring from the bleachers,
who are as sharp critics as those who
sit in an opera house gallery.
The referee no sooner takes his
seat than an indescribable yell goes
up from the impatient bleachers.-
The referee mods to his bugler, who
blows the signal blast. The band
strikes up. The gates opposite the
referees box swing open and the
troupe of bull fighters enters the
arena, advancing to the referees
stand and bowing low. The mata-
dor heads the procession. He is the
star performer, who finally kills the
bull, considered the most exciting
and dangerous feat performed. He
is followed by the capeadJrs, who
Haunt gaudily.colored capes at the
bull to anger him. Then come the
banderilleros. who, when the bull is
sufficiently stirred up, thrust sharp
barbs on each side of his vertebra
that make him wild with rage. The
picadOrs follow on horseback, and
the procession ends up with three
white mules, harnessed abreast, with
bright-colored ribbons flying from
the harness, and strings of tiny bells
jingliDg. The mules draw out the
dead bull at the end of each act.
Your first thought is that u bull
fight is tame affair. The little pro-
cession is pleasing to the eye, and the
feeling of horror that possesses you
when you sat down has worn away.
The men are picturesquely dressed
In knee breeches, short velvet jackets,
trimmed with gold lace and silver
braid, and silk hose. They might
be French playactors. and they step
about and bow in as courtly man
ner as prince might. The bleach
ers applaud the paraders long and
loudly. The horses are gaily capari-
soned, and the trappings hide the
fact that they are poor, old, wornout
hacks that have been doped and fed
up for the killing. The mules are
driven out, and the troupe arrange
themselves about the arena.
The music Of the band ceases, and
q hush comes over the 5000 people
who have gathered to see the sport.
The referee mods to his bugler. Be-
fore the blast has died away the low
gates opposite the band stand fly
open and the bull enters the arena
from the dark pen where he has