The Pacific commercial advertiser. [volume] (Honolulu, Hawaiian Islands) 1885-1921, 1901-07-11
BULL-FIGHTING IN MEXICO.

While l was reading the glowing words
of the programme bugle sounded, the
wooden gates of the ring opened, and the
procession entered. AT the head, quite
alone, walked the matador, costumed in
a Spanish bolero and knee trousers heav-
lily embroidered with gold lace, and car
rying sword His jet black hair was
braided down his neck like Chinaman's
queue. There was smile upon his
smooth7shaven, swarthy face as he APP
preached and DOTTED his turban-like hat
to the officials In the private box. The
toreadors wore costumes of similar
fashion, but not quite so handsomely
made, and carried their gay cIoaks upon
their arms. Then came the picadors,
with iances and riding the sorriest look
ing plugs of horses, whose breasts were
spro tected by heavy aprons of leather
Finally came the pair of horses whose
services would not be required until it
was necessary to drag the dead body of
the bui1 out of the ring.
The procession retired, and upon the
warm, still air the notes of the bugle
rang out again. Once more gate was
opened and the bull came running into
the ring. Upon his slue was fastened a
dart, gayly decorated with flowing rib
bons of the Mexican colors. BY this
time the toreadors and the picadors had
{
There is not a moment when the ami
small has a chance for his life, and there
is not p moment when any man in the
ring Is in real danger. There are four
heavy board structures inside the ring,
behind which the toreador can step If the
bull makes for him after he has Haunted
his cloak in the animals face. Once
during the exhibition one of athe tore
adors leaped the low fence rather than
! It
went oyer so hastily that he tumbled
into a heap on the other side.
The only men who seem to be at all in
danger of receiving injury are the plea
doris on, horseback. The bull has an an
tipathy for the horse, and If he has any
fight in him at all-which some of them
have not--he will attack the animal
viciousy. One rider was overthrown and
his horse gored during the exhibition of
which write. But the horses are worth
less creatures, all skin and bones, and,
| besides, are bindfolded, so that their
death is nothing more or less than tame
/ butcherys The picadors, like every one
| else in the ring, are fleet of foot and can
easily escape while the attention of the
bull is diverted. 1t is a curious fact that
the bull when charging at a man never
| follows up his advantage. When the
cloak is Haunted in his face he lowers
his head, shuts his eyes and charges at
! the object The man merely steps aside
and the bull, rushing forward for a few
yards, stops to recover his breath and
look around him If for a single moment
the bull seems really to mean business
the toreadors fly to cover like q flock of
! scared cartridges.
| There are only two moments in bull
! fight when skill and courage would seem
| to be requisite.
The first Is when the toreador, discard
! ing his cloak, takes two banderillos or
decorated darts, one in each hand, and
inviting the bull to charge upon him
plants both steel points in the animal
| forward TANKS and then jumps aside
without injury to himself. Ii he does his
work well the darts, which are barbed,
remain fastened in the bulls flesh, still
| further to enrage and annoy him. The
other moment is the finale of the fight,
when the matodor, summoned by bugle
note to administer the coup de grace,
stands in front of the bull with a red
cloak and with drawn sword The bull
| rushes toward the cloak and impales
himself upon the sword with such force
that the weapon buries itself to the hilt
in his body. If the matador has an arm
of iron, an eye unwavering and an ac-
curate knowledge of the exact spot
where the sword should enter the steel
pierces the animals heart and death Is
| almost instantaneous. But only once
during the afternoon did this matador
make this single, effective stroke. Once
| he had to make two thrusts, again he
| severed an artery in the bulls side so
that the animal bled to death, and the
other time he struck a bone, SO that the
sword glanced off and two or three more
| efforts were required to end the bulp s
4 life. The crowd Kissed him and flung at
him harsh epithets in the Mexican
| tongue. The butchering was so cruel
and prolonged that nearly all the Ameri-
cans left.