The Washington times., 1901-07-21
THE GENUINE BULLFIGHT.
A Real Contest Graphically Des-
-cribed by an Eyewitness.
The Sport INDUCED in by Royalty
Since the Time of Hercuies-Great
"l'iestas" In Seville and Madrid
Thousands Wildly Cheer the Victor

AS the bullfight, or rather a modifi
cation of that sport seems creepin,
into favor in this country, the rea
Spanish contest as described by al
eye witness to a thrilling encounter, il
. both interesting and enlightening. Th
narrator of the story given below pre-
faced his story with brief account o
the history of the bullfight. From
, the fabulous time said he, 'wheT
Hercules was lured to the Peninsul;
by the lowing of the cattle of Geryon
the bull has been the national EN-
blem of Spain. There is evidence thai
bulliights were a favorite amusement
in Hispanola, or Spain, long before
! Caesar fought his famous Battle OF
Munda, As B. c. Representations OF
them appear upon Spanish coins
which antedate the Roman occupation
That essentially Spanish hero of
chivalry, Rodrigo, surnamed the Cid
Q0Z5-i0SE himself descended with
lance into the arena and killed the
bull with his own hands. For time
after this young noblemen dedicated
themselves to the sport, and only to
! nobility was conceded the honor of
fighting with bulls in the arena. Ev-
| eryone is doubtless acquainted with the
story of the Admirable Crichton's'
exploit in the Spanish arena, when the
| infuriated bull, after goring his an
! tagonist, threatened the box of the
royal party. The redoubtable Scottish
adventurer leaped into the ring, and
| literally seizing the bull by the horns,
| forced it back upon its launches and
| broke its neck.
KINGS AS PRINCIPAL ACTORS.
During medieval times, kings were
| frequently the principal actors in the
game. The sport was introduced into
Italy in the time of Pope Borgia, him
self a Spaniard, whose son, Caesar,
once took the bulls head completely
off with one sweep of his twohanded
sword. Charles V killed the largest
bull in the arena at Valladolid; Pizar-
ro, the conqueror of Peru, was a cele-
brated torrero: and kings down to
Philip V protected 1t as a royal game
while the honor of acting as tor
rero was confined to the nobility no
blood was shed save that of the BULL
and the actors were all mounted on the
finest horses, whose lives were as care
fully guarded as their owners. 1t was
not until the middle of the eighteenth
century that the sport was converted
into Its present form, and that actors
on foot entered the arena. The rules
regulating the game as it now stands
were formulated by Francisco Romero
de Ronda. The animals that figure in
the Spanish arena are specially raised
for the purpose.
'The best bullhghts, perhaps, are to
be seen in Seville, and the next best
at Madrid. The season begins on the
fipst Sunday after Lent, and a bull
fight takes place on every Sunday
(weather permitting) until the heat of
summer becomes excessive. They are
resumed about the las: of August and
continue until the first of October. At
Madrid winter exhibitions are given.
A TRAGEDY IN THREE ACTS.
"a bullfight may be described as a
tragedy in three acts. which ordinarily
lasts about twenty minutes. In the
Plaza de Toro is an immense amphi-
theatre. open to the sky, with an
arena in the centre. The seats rise
tier above tier in circles, and will ac-
commodate many thousands OF spec
tatcrs; that at Seville, II 900: at Ma
drid, 1880: at Valencia, 1900 The
seats are filed to their utmost capaci-
ty before the hour for commencement.
A double barrier encloses the arena,
SO that if bull leaps over the first.
there still remains a second between
him and the spectators.
AT o'clock promptly the band be-
gins to play and a procession enters
the arena, headed by mounted 'alg
nails (police) dressed in quaint me- |
dieval costumes, followed by the plea
doris amounted spearmen), the ban |
derillos' or 'matadoras (bull-decora- |
tors), the 'chulos' attendants on foot, |
with red mantles, all quantity dressed), |
the 'espadors,' or bull-slayers, dressed |
like Figaro in the Barber of Seville |
and, lastly, the 'el tiro, the grandiy |
equipped mule team destined to carry |
off the body of the fated bull.
Having marched around the arena to
the music of the band, and saluted the
King. whose box is opposite the 'toril, |
or cell of the bull, the various actors |
take their places like the players in a
game of baseball.
"A trumpet sounds, the King tosses
the key of the toril to the policeman,
who catches it in his plumed hat, un-
locks the door, and steps aside There
is a perfect silence of a few seconds,
but when the noble animal rushes into
the arena, and, with head erect, stands
looking proudly around, the spectators
greet him with prolonged shouts, and
waving of hats and fans. Then the
first act of the tragedy begins The
bull. catching sight of the red mantle
Of the 'chulo' makes a rush for him;
he waves his mantle to blind the hull
and springs aside; the bull then rush
es on another, and another, with the
same result This part of the fiesta
Is very beautiful The brilliant dress
es and agile movements of the men,
leaping over the bull TO es-
cape him. sometimes over the barrier.
around the arena like
moths around candle: the noble
bearing of the bull, with his sleek hide
and large excited eyes, form a dazzling
spectacle to a stranger. But to the
Spaniards this is mere childs play;
they soon begin 10 clamor for more
exciting sport.
THE TORTURE OF THE ANIMAL
hn |