Year: 1879

NN0rFOra OF ~ hfNttAn


| had been riding all day in the glowing
heat of the sultry climate, and let my iidrd
mule walk quietly along the narrow trail by
which was approaching the ancient town of
Baydernguato, in Northwestern Mexico. On
entering the town | saw moderate sized
house, which gave hope of safe shelter and
abundant food An old Mexican, seated up
on the doorstep, readily granted my request
for accommodations for the night. | told my
host that | wished to employ guide who
knew the way across the country to a location
which designated. lie informed me that one
could not be had the next day as there WAS to
he IL great bulfght on the edge Of the town,
aud the man would have to employ was to
fight the bull. decided ut once to remain
and witness the contest.


The scene Of the fight was to be in an old
corral enclosed on three sides 10y high uud
thick adobe walls, and on the other by what
appeared to be an impenrtrable fence Of
growth Of pitahaya, n cactus of n futcd col
umnar form and armed with a hristliug array
OF strong, sharp thorns. My host procured
for me front scat, from which | could OBJ
tain full view Of the arrna.


After taking my seat [ looked down into
thu corral, and could not but admire my guide,
not only for his powerful and perfect build
but also for his good-humored expression and





delay before the bull came upon the scene
but when "A large gate in the adobe wall was
opened and he entered the corral with n rush
and bound, a terrible prescutiment of an
awful tragedy seemed to thrill the entire null
titude. For myself, it 80 painfully impressed
Inc that if | could have easily left the place |
would at once have done So although but "a
moment before had been 30 anxious to wit
ness the contest 1t was splendid animal
well knit, strong and powerful 1t seemed to
comprehend the situation at once, for with
loud tone it beloved forth its defiance to its
antagonist, and then, with head lowered to the
ground, commenced paving the Garth and
giving demonstrations of speedily Commenc-
ing the combat. The attendants waved their
red flags before it, and irritated it still more
by prolding it with their sharp-pointed lancos.
Our hero closely watched It's every movement
with keen and intense interest, evidently
aware that it might make a sudden rush at
any moment. With a roar that appeared to
shake the very earth, aud that certainly threw
terror into every heart in that audience, it
sprang forward, lowering its head with the de
sign of tossing the Nj Nican into the air.


Two or three times the bull renewed the at
tack with no better result, and every time ho
escaped the lunge of the animal the audience
shouted and cheored Justify, appearing TO
have overcome the presentiment of evil, and
having full confidence in his ability to win the
victory whenever he chose to do so. II would
hardly be credited that the cOuntenance Of
bull could vary in its expression, but it GER
taiuly appeared if intense rage and de-
moniacal hate stood out upon every hair on its
face. and the more it was bafiled in its at
tempts to gore its intended victim the deeper
and wilder became that expression of vicious
propensity One Of the attendants gave the
bull more severe thrust than he intended to
do. when it turned 80 suddenly upon him that.
before hc could cYude the attack, the animal
had him upon its horns, and, ripping the
body open with the excrtion, tossed him high
in the air while his blood spout,d ont upon
its face. The man fell with heavy thud up
On the soil. and in an instant the bull vas
gorng him again and again. In vain the
others tried to divert its atte ntion from the
man, or eudtayOr to rescue their fallen COM
ptuiOu from his terrible fate. In less time
than it requires to narrate the episode the
poor fellow was a ifelcss corpse.


1t WA, a soul-sickcning sight Some Of the
women tainted at once, while the others
screamed ia teuur and horror at the sceuc.
All this cuiumutiun, combined with the scent
of fresh blood, wrought the bull into a state
of frenzy, and it swept around and across tho
enclosure with such violence and rapidity that
the men could with difficulty escape from
rushing attacks. The cry was given to open
the gate and let the bull pass out into the stall
in which ii had been kept, but the gatrkceper
had become too terrified to understand the or
der or to perform his duty, and the gate re-
maiutd closed. The nerve of my guide never
ftltcrrd for an instant but seeing the terror
Of the others. and witnessing the fury of the
animal. he drew his long knife and calmly
awaited Tia next rush to make the fatal thrust
that should terminate the existence of the bull
and the scene of excitement. Once more the
bull swoupel down toward him, and he stood
ready to strike the knife into its neck, but as
he attempted to spring back and let the bull
pass by him before doing so, his foot slipped,
and he was at once impaled upon the horns of
the beast, and in a moment his lifeless body
fell within few feet of his dead comrade.


The excitement of the crowd now reached
the most intense point it amounted to actual
agony For a moment they were spellbOund
with terror, and gave utterance to piercing
shrieks and cries. Then several shots were
fired at the bull one of which took serious eff
feet, but only appeared to increase its mad
ness and its ire. Suddenly the bull, now blind
ed with rage and maddened by the wounds it
had received, dashed against the thorny bar
rier of the pitahaya, and, breaking through it,
rushed among the terrified multitude upon
the outside of the enclosure The crowd scat
tered in all directions, and the bull tossed or
trampled upon all who were in its way rs it
rushed toward the open plain. There were
three others killed outright and several Sc
riouSly wounded. Heartsick with the horri-
bic sccna blended with the people that were
seeking their homes, l would not for the
possession of the entire Mexican republic wit
ness another such bullfght. .-Lttter To lSla
Francisco Chronicle.