The enterprise. [volume] (Wellington, Ohio) 188?-1899, 1898-06-08


The day of the corrida is holiday for
everybody.
A peasant and his wife astride on
muleback-he carrying his escopeta
(gun) slung on his shoulder-are coming
in from the country; others are on tiny
little donkeys, the riders feet almost
scraping the ground, like the pictures
one sees in the illustrated Bibles of loco
motion in Palestine; long wagons like
hayricks, to which are harnessed six
gaily and festively decorated mules; there
arehundreds of fine. broughams and car
riages; and such is the crush for seats
that, to be sure of them, we took Our
tickets in advance.
Every ticket is numbered and every
seat is reserved" there are six great
doors, and the people take their places
without confusion When we arrived
the arena was full Of people who had
been looking at the bulls in the toril. A
detachment of soldiers enters the arena
and executing half-pivot swing sweeps
the crowd out.
The bulls are suggestively believing:
acquaintance are calling to each other
across the arena, which is large enough
for regiment of cavalry to manoeuvre
in; ladies are plying their fans, making a
rustling, sibilant sound like ten thousand
butterflies; students in groups are shout
ing their college songs.
One of their number asks a dignifed
old gentleman, just arriving, what time it
is? He gives the hour, and they shout in
chorus "Gracias, i" nearly startling the old
fellow out of his wits, and everybody
laughs-except the old gentleman.
A brass band discourseS excellent mu-
sic; hawkerS throw oranges to purchas-
ers in every direction and deftly catch in
their hats the cuartos thrown in payment.
An orange goes astray, knocks off
mans silk hat; there is grand general
laugh, but the hatless one is furious.
The audience commences to pound
with their canes; the students sing
Times up"
The alcade (mayor) who presides takes
his chair in the box of the Ayuntamiento
(City Councils) beside the Royal Box; a
lady faints and instantly the twelve thou
sand people are on their feet, standing
on the benches. A fellow with speak
ing trumpet which makes noise like
clap of thunder calls to a friend on the
opposite side. Excitement runs high, the
minute approaches, the noise is immense
"a Sullen roar-twelve thousand voices
mingled.
The music ceases at trumpet sound,
four mounted armed guards enter the
arena and slowly ride round it inspecting
if all is right, every barrier closed, the
ground in perfect condition.
Twelve thousand spectators look at the
alcade's box-the silence is absolute.
The band strikes up; the gate under
the Royal Box opens and the cuadrilla,
all the toreros in gala costumes enter in
procession.
They are greeted by an immense ex-
plosion of applause. First come the
primas spades (swordsmen) dressed like
Figaro, in the Barber of Seville" fol-
lowed by banderilleros, capeadores, plea
dores and chulos. 1t would much exceed
my limits to describe their costumes:
every color and material, satin, silk, vel
vet, laces, fringes, ribbons, all increasing
the harmonious effect
| can imagine nothing more olympian
than their march around the arena. 1t
was blend of military review, band
of masqueraders and cowboys. They
march with military precision, stop be-
fore the mayors box and salute. The
alcade throws down the key to the bull
stalls (toriD and all go out of the ring,
except the picadores mounted and armed
with long lances, and some capeadores,
with their red and yellow capes. All eyes
are fixed on the gate where the bull will
enter-the silence is death-l -like-the
bulls below, the blindfoIded horse
tremble; the picadores show some anx-
iety and settle themselves more firmly in
their saddles and poise their lances; the
trumpet sounds, the gate opens, an enor-
nous bull, head and tail erect, rushes
into the arena, and twelve thousand
throats simply yell.
My friend Rennyson, who had never
seen bull-fght, turned pale. | confess
shivers chased each other up and down
my back. The bull rushed like an ava
lanche at the first picador, who stuck his
lance in its neck but did not stop it; the
bull struck the horse amidships, lifted
him and the picador bodily from the
ground; tossed them lightly from his
horns against the barrier, then rushed at
the second and third horse with almost
identical results. The three horses were
killed in less than minute. Then the
bull ran out to the middle of the arena,
snorting, paving and looking at the peo-