1830.] Secrets of the Court of Charles the Fourth of Spain. 191 



distributed in various parts of the vast amphitheatre, and at its hun- 

 dred entrances, for the preservation of good order, the first trumpet 

 sounds ! the grand entrance gate is thrown open, when the director 

 or manager of the sports enters on horseback gorgeously attired, fol- 

 lowed by three mounted picadors in " rank entire," with their lances 

 in rest! These persons wear a low-crowned white hat, of great 

 breadth of brim, loosely fitting the head, but secured from falling off, 

 by a broad band passing under the chin ; the shade of the brim pro- 

 tects the eyes of the combatant from the dazzling effect of the sun's 

 rays, while the slightest motion flings it back on the head at the option 

 of its wearer, whose black and bushy hair is confined in a silk bandeau. 

 Their jacket is generally of tissue, or satin, almost covered with 

 gold or silver tassels ; while the sleeves boast of several hundred small 

 tinsel buttons placed in rows ; the vest, equally rich and gaudy, is 

 usually of a colour presenting a pleasing contrast to that of the jacket 

 the picador also wears a sash of coloured silk richly fringed ; but 

 here ends the finery ; the lower parts of the body are enveloped in 

 strong leathers profusely stuffed, and wadded ; and his legs are 

 lodged in jack-boots of the same description, (but infinitely less pre- 

 posterous in point of size) as those worn by the French postilion, 

 thus affording his limbs protection against the horns of the enraged 

 bull. 



The party advance towards the royal box ; the manager passes to 

 the Governor, by his adjutants, who are placed in order to receive 

 the programme of the entertainment. The box of the governor is 

 situated directly under that of their majesties ; and a communication 

 beneath enables him to enter the royal presence from time to time to 

 receive the king's commands. 



His majesty's permission being granted for the sports to commence, 

 the director makes his obeisance ; the picadors throwing back their 

 hats off their heads, advance, with the lances pointed to the ground 

 this homage they perform three times, each time approaching closer 

 to the royal view, when they file off, and give way to the bande- 

 ralleros, who advance towards the royal box to the amount of twelve 

 (sometimes more), with their darts in hand, and their silk mantle hung 

 on the left shoulder. The dresses of these persons (who are generally 

 young butchers, aspiring to the honours of the bull-ring), are always 

 beautiful, often superb ; (many are known to be dressed at the expense 

 of women of rank !) and frequently their wages for the year is expended 

 on their equipment for the festival ; they bow, and retire to the bays, 

 so as to be ready to spring from their cover in aid of the picador, 

 when too hardly pressed by the bull ; and whose rescue they effect, 

 by distracting the attention of the enraged animal from the immediate 

 object of his wrath, to his new assailants, who, waving their silken 

 scarfs before his eyes, flit about like gilded butterflies. Next, and 

 lastly, of the train of combatants, comes the solemn matador, or slayer, 

 whose duty is considered the most dangerous. He moves towards the 

 royal box alone, holding in his right hand a short double edged sword, 

 and in his left his Montero cap and bandera, or small square flag, 

 the handle of which does not exceed one yard in length ; he kneels 

 before the box, lays his sword on the ground, and making the sign 

 of the cross on his forehead, on the signal of the governor resumes his 

 sword and rises, then retires to the place allotted for him. 



