1831.] Spanish High-ways and By-ways. 611 



period of the most intense interest. The infuriated animal., thus sud- 

 denly delivered from a crowd of goading tormentors, and seeing but one 

 enemy opposed to him, seemed to collect his energies for this final 

 encounter, as though aware of its deadly issue. He rolled his eyeballs 

 beneath their shaggy brows, with an expression of malignant fierceness 

 not to be described. * Then tearing up the ground of the arena with his 

 feet, and uttering a yell that caused the blood to recede to the hearts of 

 the spectators, he rushed towards his adversary. The matador, intent 

 on his every movement, waited to receive him ; when waving his sword 

 above his head, as the infuriated beast swooped his gory horns to rend 

 his intended victim, he plunged it into his body, between the shoulder 

 and the ribs, and piercing his heart, with a stifled roar of agony, the poor 

 animal fell dead on the arena when the matador bowed, and retired 

 amidst the reiterated shouts of 12,000 spectators. The mules then gal- 

 lopped in, and in the space of five minutes the dead bull with the mangled 

 carcases of the horses were removed, the band during the time playing 

 several national airs. 



The arena being again cleared, a second bull made his appearance, 

 which shewed good sport, and was followed by six others, which were 

 all killed to the satisfaction of the company, excepting the last, which 

 refused to fight. A loud cry o?fuego,fnego, " fire, fire," was raised, when 

 the bandarillos advanced towards the animal with squibs, crackers, and 

 other combustibles fixed to their darts, which on their explosion so en- 

 raged the bull, that when the matador appeared he made as violent a 

 charge as those that had preceded him. The thrust of the matador was 

 not mortal, and he narrowly escaped destruction. The wounded animal 

 plunged madly about the arena, with the sword in his body, which after- 

 wards fell on the ground, and was again presented to the matador, who 

 again challenged the bull. An intense silence prevailed throughout this 

 vast assembly as the matador sought to redeem his character the spec- 

 tators anxiously awaiting the result of the next attack- An old man who 

 occupied a place beside me in the box, and who I afterwards learnt had 

 been engaged in many encounters of this nature, now broke out into 

 violent reproaches against the matador. He condemned his inelegant at- 

 titudes, and declared, from his conduct altogether, that he was but a pre- 

 tender. His observations were checked, however, by the bull advancing 

 to the combat, when the matador vindicated his reputation by laying him 

 dead at his feet. The old gentleman was not satisfied with this amende 

 honorable, but proceeded to prove with great energy that such a man 

 ought not to be allowed to appear in the arena again. He amused me 

 during the rest of the performance by relating various anecdotes of bull- 

 fighting, many of which were entertaining, though a little marvellous. 

 The exhibition closed with fire-works. Four ships attacked a castle sus- 

 pended across the arena, which, after sustaining a cannonading, blew up 

 into rockets and different devices, and had a novel and pretty effect. I 

 went afterwards to the depot, and saw the horses which had been killed 

 in the different encounters all lying in one place, and the bulls in another. 

 The flesh of the latter was sold to the poor at the rate of a penny a pound. 



Amongst the objects worthy attention in Seville is the Alcazar. This 

 building was originally a Moorish palace, but was then the residence of 

 Sir John Downie, who very deservedly experienced the royal favour by 

 his gallantry in attacking the French on the bridge across the Guadal- 

 quiver, where he received a severe wound, and was made prisoner ; pre- 



4 I 2 



