192 Royal Intrigue ; or, Auo. 



The tame ox is next introduced, to the docility of which the drivers 

 are indebted for bringing on the wild bulls this animal is the decoy, 

 and so long as it leads, the untamed herd follow his steps in perfect 

 quiet. The horns of the beast are decorated with garlands ; and 

 bunches of various coloured ribbons are interwoven in the tufts of his 

 neck, shoulder, and croup ; it makes its obeisance by repeated genu- 

 flections to the gratified spectators, and being stationed in the centre 

 of the circus, on a signal given, the entrance gates are again thrown 

 back on their massive hinges, and the herd of wild bulls selected for 

 the day's sport, rush forward in wild disorder, followed by the paysanos 

 who were their herdsmen on their native hills, and to whose voice and 

 whip they seem to pay a sulky obedience. On espying the leading ox, 

 they quickly cluster around, and tamely follow his steps through the 

 portcullis, which leads to a row of separate cells, into which the animals 

 are one by one caged and confined, until required in the circus. All 

 these arrangements are perfect; and so accurately performed that 

 accidents are of rare occurrence ; indeed the most important business 

 of the state could not be conducted with more pomp and ceremony, or 

 a more rigid attention to the minutiae of forms. 



The Governor standing, receives the royal nod to commence ; the 

 trumpet (which is stationed in his box) sounds a charge, and one or 

 more of the picadors take their dangerous post they draw up as close 

 as possible to the partition, (their horses' eyes bandaged), where with 

 couched lance they await the bull's attack. The portcullis rises, the 

 bull rushes into the arena with furious roar, and flies at the first object 

 which catches his fiery eye. The utmost coolness and courage is 

 requisite on the part of the picador. As the bull plunges towards his 

 horse with head bent almost to earth, the wary horseman meets the 

 attack by burying the sharp pointed lance to its utmost depth (only 

 three quarters of an inch) into the shoulder of the animal, which ge- 

 nerally causes it to retreat ; if fierce and daring, the bull will return 

 again and again to the charge, and even change his point of attack- 

 then all the skill of the picador is called into action, while the address 

 and activity of the footmen are of the first importance to his safety. 

 A picador seldom has less than three horses killed under him in the 

 course of his tour of combat. As often as he is placed ( hors de combat,' 

 another comes to his relief, while he accomplishes his remount. When 

 the bull seems to have lost half his native strength under the arm of 

 the picador, the trumpet sounds for the retreat of the horsemen ; 

 and the unfortunate animal is left to the banderalleros, who with great 

 skill and bravery execute the hazardous feat of placing their darts in 

 his flesh, on the neck and shoulders ; this requires the greatest activity 

 of foot, quickness of eye, and firmness of nerve. When a bull is torpid 

 the horrible trial of fire is resorted to. Hollow darts, in the tube of which 

 portfire is lodged, ignite on pressure, and communicate with a train 

 of fire- works attached: these being stuck into various parts of the 

 animal's body, the noise of their explosion, added to the smart of his 

 many bleeding wounds, and that of the falling fire-sparks, drive the 

 distracted beast for a time to a state of ungovernable madness, which 

 exhausted nature cannot long sustain, and it is succeeded by stupor. 



At this juncture the trumpet once more sounds the matador enters 

 he places his cap, with a most profound bow, on the floor of the arena, 

 kisses the handle of the sword (which is formed like a cross), and 



