The river press. [volume] (Fort Benton, Mont.) 1880-current, 1913-01-29
BULL RING TACTICS
Spain's Great National Sport.
and the Shame Of It.
IT IS NOT A TEST OF BRAVERY
Tho Game Of Blind Mans Buff Re.
quires More Courage Than Does tn.
Work Of the Toreador-The Poo,
Hack Horses Are the Real Victims,

quires More Courage Than Does tn.
Work Of the Toreador-The Poo,
Hack Horses Are the Real Victims.
The great majority Of the spectators
were Spanish. Here were young dan
dies in faultless suits aud boots of the
most brilliant patent leather. Now
enters a woman in the fanous man.
ttlla of white lace. reserved solely for
the bnlltght. There one saw father,
mother and little children Of quite ten.
der years. A special box. Immediately
over the door by which the bulls would
enter. was reserved for the president
Of the fight and his friends.
In the ring stood half a dozen police.
men. They remained in the arena all
through the proceedings. but there
were wooden shelters at intervals be.
hind which they discreetly retired
when the bull approached. Half a
dozen red buckets filed with water
stood in a row on the sanded floor. A
band, just below our seats. played live
~ airs.
The audience being now complete.
the first matador marched round the
arena with his little troupe of picadors
ION hOrseback). toreadors with red
cloaks to wave III front of the BULL
and banderilleros. the last named car.
rying darts which were presently to
be planted in the back of the bull.
The toreador is quite u minor person.
age. The star performer. after the
bull. is the matador. who deals the
%deathblow with his sword. All the
other people that | have mentioned are
under the control of the matador.
The weapons were now inspected by
the president. the lei and horses re.
tired and the first bull trotted into the
arena. He was a big fellow. rather
slow moving, and he stood for some
little time in the center of the arena
gazing about him at the general scene.
The band vas playing gayly all this
time. A couple of toreadors advanced
and set the bull in motion by waving
their cloaks just in front of his horns.
1t is commonly supposed in this
country that the toreador is a magnifi
Gently brave person who risks his life
for the pleasure Of the excited popu-
lace. That is quite a mistake. The
bull never goes for the man, but al
ways for the cloak. So long as the
toreador holds the cloak to one side
instead Of in front Of him and has the
usual amount of common sense and
ability there is no reason at all why
he should receive a scratch. and l be-
lieve that he very rarely receives even
a scratch. If he is fool enough to get
drunk before he enters the arena, that
Is another matter. Under ordinary
conditions anybody who is pretty good
at "blind mans buff" could do the
work of the toreador. The bull. as a
matter of fact. cannot turn so quickly
as the "blind man."
After a little Of this teasing from
the toreadors a picador advanced.
lance ready poised. Here is the really
cruel part of bullnghting. the part
that makes 1t hideously revolving to all
decent people. The horse ridden by
the picador is a poor old hack, and 1t
is brought into the arena for no other
purpose than to be killed by the bull
in the sight of the %populace. There is
q bandage over one eye Sc that the
horse cannot see the deadly approach
ing horn Of the bull. The picador rides
his horse right up to the bull. and the
bull is allowed plenty Of time to gore
the horse to death. Not the slightest
| attempt is made to save the horse. |
want to emphasize this because one
had always understood that the horses
we're killed more or less by accident.
Why are the horses brought in to be
killed? Champions of bullfghting will
tell you that the death Of the horse
saves the life Of the matador, that 1t
gives the picador an opportunity of in
ficting the first wound and that the
mere act of goring the horse robs the
bull of his natural strength. Twad-
die! What the picador does could be
done just as we'll by men on foot or
by n man on a trapeze or in fifty
ways. The horses are killed to make
a slaughter for the crowd. who are
angry if they do not see enough blood,
The death Of the poor horse | will
leave you to imagine. 1t Is altogether
too horrible and too pitiful for detailed
description.
Now comes the turn of the banderil.
leros. Each has two little darts. These
darts must be placed in the back Of the
bull. just about the end of the neck.
from in front of the animal. This re-
quires skill and speed. !: is the only
part of the whole proceeding which re-
fleets the slightest credit for bravery or
agility upon the men in the arena.
The bull, after being wounded by the
picador. is now carrying the darts Of
the ~banderilleros in his back. Natural
~ he is bleeding profusely and Is near
~ dead. 1t is the proud work of the
matador to finish him off with one
thrust Of his sword. He stands in front
Of the bull. who waits for the thrust
with loworo1 hand Tbo u-ratcboI