Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1899-02-25
BULL FIGHTS IN LIMA.
Exciting Performances Pleasant Tor All Hands
Save the Bull.

young civil engineer who has
knocked about in all quarters of the
globe. was a guest at an uptown studio
the other night, and made a sensation
by a defence of bull fights.
There's only one place in the world
where one can see the genuine old
Moorish bull fight today" he said, "and
that is Lima. Peru. I've seen the
fights in Spain, and they are enough to
disgust butcher: but l wouldn't ask
any better entertainment than u Lima
bull fight. There isn't any cruelty. or
blood.or butchery about it down there;
but it is tremendously exciting. The
corrida is held on Sunday, as 1t is in
Spain. and everybody goes. The gov
eminent officials have a private box,
and all the grand stand plays are APP
parently made for their especial bene-
fit. One of the great features of the
fight is the beauty of the horses. You
know how the Spanlards blindfold
poor, decrepit, old brutes. and lead
them into the ring, and then deliher-
ately expose them to goring by the
bull; but you don't see any Of that iii
Lima. The horses there are the finest
that can be procured, and of great
value. They have been highly trained,
and are quick and agile as cats. | be-
lieve they enjoy the sport quite
as much as the men do. and in all the
fights | attended | never saw a horse
so much as scratched.
The first thing on the programme at
| Lima corrida is drill by infantry
soldiers. They salute the officials and
retire. and then. at bugle call all who
are to take part in the performance
come. in gay attire. and march up to
the government box. The official gives
signal and the riders line up opposite
the gate. Often there are women
among them. and some of them are
beauties. The gates are thrown open
and the bull rushes in and makes a
plunge for the riders. That's where
you get your moneys worth. You
ought to see those horses. There's no
blind. cataleptdc old street-car nag
among them, and no goring and dis
embowelling and all that business
which Spanish women and children
seem to enjoy. The horses prick up
their ears, and arch their necks. and
wheel. and dodge and run. and seem
to be having the best sort of time.
ciiliCllIISS lIIty W Ill nave tol rear ana
wheel like lightning on their hind legs,
in order to let the bull plunge past
and they've been known to leap over
the bull. The horses, whose riders are
waiting to have their turn later, dance
and prance. and CULVER with excite
ment. and act as if they We're wild to
get into the game.
The bulls are very fine, too. They
are bred just for the ring. and kept
where they hardly ever see man:
because the wilder the bull is the more
blindly he fights and the less danger
Gus he is to the men and horses | was
told that the bulls We're worth $1,000
each, and sometimes more They are
always in splendid condition, and after
the fight the flesh is distributed among
the poor. When the bull finds he
can't catch the horses he turns around
and starts for the capeadores, who
dodge him and haunt gay-colored
scarfs in his face. until he gets so mad
That he tears up the ground. The most
dangerous trick is to run ahead of the
bull trailing the scarf just in front of
MS nose. / tell you it makes you gasp
to watch it: but just when it seems as
If the bull were ready to gore. the man
Jumps the fence Sometimes the fell
low will stand still while the bull rush.
es at him, and, just as the brute lowers
his head to gore. the man Will plant
one foot between the horns and iump
right over the tail. landing on his feet.
never saw one of the chaps hurt, and
their skill is simply wonderful
The banderillos are clever. too. |
They carry the little sticks. decorated
with bright paper and ending in tiny
hook. and they catch the hooks in the |
thick skin Of the bulls neck. 1t isn't
cruel. because it isn't any worse than
a pin prick; but the things dangle and !
work the bull into fury. and then the
espada comes in and does his work. He
carries a little red cloth and a small |
straight sword. The bull makes a
lunse at the cloth. and the first time
ne comes at it in the right position the
espada presents his sword and drives
II between the bulls shoulder blades.
Inc 5ull. by the force of his charge.
drives the sword to his heart, and
stops, let's himself down gently and dies
without any sign of pain. There are
only few drops of blood, if any, he
cause the hemorrhage is internal; but
II the espada does bungle things. which
IS a very rare occurrence. a man stahs
the bull at the base of the skull.
You see. no man or horse is hurt in
this Moorish bull fight: and. as for the
Dull. ne is put into a bad temper. bur
he doesn't know he is going to he
killed. and his death is more swift and
painless than the death an animal
meets in the slaughter house Of any