Washington sentinel., 1898-04-09
= !. ..n, SENTINEL
A Bull Fight at santa Cruz.
n. Biadloss, m "London .S0ciefy.

ING streets towards the plaza de
toros, or bull ring. Halfth city
seemed TO be progressing that way,
and from every fiat topped roof and
green shuttered window laughing
ta=es looked down, and merry
voices exchanged badinage with
the throng below. There is no
doubt that the Latin races can en-
10y themselves heartily, in a man
ner unknown 70 the North, for
among them all we heard no un-
civil word, nor saw any sign OF
drunkenness.
Paying two dollars a head, we
entered the bull ring, and seated
ourselves zen la sombra," or on
the shady side. Imagine an i'm
mense circular building, open to
the sky, and surrounding a central
arena on the model OF a Roman
amphitheatre, and you have
"plaza de toros"--they are all the
same from Madrid to Mexico. The
strangely diversified groups that
poured steadily in would have re-
paid a visit alone. There were
EAa 81 -~&A 81 - Si~- - sl~N.e; . i.~sshts,
attired in unstarched linen gar
ments, which reached only to the
knee, with raw hide sandals on
their naked feet, each one carrying
a massy blanket, the dearest made
in England, rolled about their
shoulders. This costs the wearer
two months earnings, and lasts
life time-he never goes anywhere
without it, and staunchly resists
the temptation to buy one made
in Germany" at third of the cost.
The shrill call OF
bugle rang through the heated air,
and the murmur OF many voices
became suddenly still as the great
doors swung back, and the gor-
geous troupe of "cuaderilla," rode
into the ring. The scene was a
kaleidoscope change OF color.
Man alter man dressed in gorgeous
silks, with a crimson, green. or yell
low cloak huttering behind him,
filed in, and the brawny chests of
the leaders were covered from neck
to waist with jewels Many OF
these gems we're the gifts OF gov
ernors and deputies, for in Spain
and her colonies a successful bull
fighter is much better paid than a
prime minister-and considerably
more respected.
After the Governor had bowed
in answer to the salute of raised
lances, and thrown down the keys,
which the maestro" caught, the
troupe withdrew, all save two men
and few attendants. The former
was swathed from waist to ankle in
leather. and mounted on worn out,
blindfolded horses; while the lat
ter stood beside the circular barTi-
cades, with brilliant hued cloaks
in their hands. A sudden hush
fell upoa the immense multitude,
and the dry rustic cf palm fronds
outside came sharply through the
stiffness, as the first picador rode
slowly into the centre of the glar.
ing, sunlit arena. Some one cried
"Listo!" and with a below OF rage
a tawnY Andalusian bull, bred
from fighting pedigree and rem
dered furious by hunger and dark
confinement, bounded into the
ring. For few moments it stood
half blinded, paving up the sand,
and then lowering its long, keen
horns leapt forward. straight tor
the mounted man. The writer fan
cied he could hear the crowd draw
in a deep breath as the picador
drew himself up and sat stifly
erect, holding the lancebeiore him,
The trenchant steel met the charg-
ing bull square in the shoulder, hut
IlE~ point Being designed to torture,
not kill, only plowed a deep groove
across his neck, and roaring saw
agely while its shoulders dripped
blood, the furious beast charged
on. The man made futile effort
to wheel his steed aside, but the
poor Jade was not intended Tor a
display OF horsemanship-it was
only there to be killed. Next mo-
ment, horse and rider went down
together before a blow like that OF
battering ram, and there would
speedily have been an end OF both
but that an attendant leapt past the
bull, and waved a crimson cloak
before its eyes.
The second picador, wisely for
himself, kept near the barricade,
and when the bull charged him
iuriouslY endeaVored to avoid the
rush. He was too late, however.
The keen horns slid into the side
Of the wretched horse, somewt ere
beneath the stirrup feathers, and
both were hurled bodily against
the timbering. The man grasped
at the topmost rail, and dragged
himself across, amid the howls and
groans OF the spectators. who
would gladly have seen him killed;
while the bull proceeded to gore
and trample the life out Of the help
less steed until a capero drew it
away with his cloak.
Meanwhile, the attendants had
been busy plugging the streaming
wounds ofthe first horse with straw
and tow--a custom common
enough--and now they proceeded
to urge it forward by abs and
blows, the rider whose face was
ashley grey, swaying in his saddle.
There was a good reason for this
as we afterwards heard-two OF his
ribs had been broken in the pre-
vious encounter. When the bull