610 Spanish High-ways and By-ways. JUNE, 



decorated with bows of ribbons and flowers. Their long hair was con- 

 fined in a net ; they wore stout buff-leather breeches and boots to defend 

 them from the horns of the bulls, and carried a long lance in their hands. 

 These lances, from their peculiar construction, can only penetrate skin- 

 deep, therefore they rather tend to irritate the animal than injure him. 

 The bandarillos came next on foot. It is their duty to assist the picador 

 when dismounted, by diverting the attention of the bull towards them- 

 selves. They were elegantly attired in embroidered jackets, and wore 

 long cloaks over their shoulders of different coloured silks. The 

 matador next followed alone, and is the principal person of the enter- 

 tainment. He was dressed in a splendid jacket, and wore white silk 

 stockings and pumps ; he carried in his right hand a naked sword, and 

 in his left a small red flag. He has to oppose and kill the bull single 

 handed ; and as his post is the most dangerous, so it is the most honour- 

 able. After these, came two sets of mules, richly caparisoned, and 

 adorned with ribbons and flngs, whose duty it is to remove the dead 

 bulls and horses from the arena. This splendid array entered the arena 

 amidst the acclamations of the people, and advancing to the city authori- 

 ties demanded their consent to the forthcoming exhibition. This was 

 of course instantly granted ; and the keys being thrown into the arena, 

 were picked up by an attendant, gorgeously attired, when the whole 

 party, after saluting the magistracy, retired to their respective stations. 



The four picadors placed themselves at equal distances in the arena, 

 and the ten bandarillos dispersed themselves, when on the sound of a 

 trumpet a door opened opposite the centre or royal box, and out rushed 

 a tremendously large spotted Andalusian bull. He halted for an instant, 

 and rolled his eyes around ; then lashing his sides with his tail, he darted 

 at the nearest picador, who dexterously receiving him on the point of his 

 lance, repulsed him in his headlong career. This feat elicited rapturous 

 applause from the spectators ; the ladies waving their handkerchiefs and 

 the gentlemen clapping their hands. As though to indemnify himself 

 for this defeat, the animal rushed at the second horseman with addi- 

 tional fury, and plunging his horns into the body of the horse, over- 

 threw him and his rider. The third shared the same fate ; and such was 

 the ferocity of the charge that the bull, with the greatest difficulty, dis- 

 engaged his horns from the slaughtered animal, tearing and mangling 

 the body with the most savage fury. The rider was so injured by the 

 fall that it required the utmost address of the bandarillos to rescue him 

 from his perilous situation, by lifting him over the fence from the arena. 

 The bull then attacked the fourth, by which time the other dismounted 

 picador re-appeared with a fresh horse the company still expressing 

 approbation and shouting bueno toro, bueno ioro t( brave bull, brave 

 bull!" A trumpet then sounded, and the picadors retired ; when the ban- 

 darillos advanced to exhibit their address. They were each provided 

 with six darts, which they endeavoured to fix about the head and neck of 

 the bull, and the courage and dexterity in accomplishing this without 

 injury to themselves, drew forth the most vivid marks of satisfaction. 

 The animal feeling the sting of the darts, became outrageous, and 

 amongst so many enemies knew not on whom to vent his rage. They 

 then threw their party-coloured cloaks in his face, and trailing them on 

 the ground, he rushed after them, tearing and trampling on the silken 

 vestments in impotent anger. When excited to a state bordering on 

 madness, foaming at the mouth, and bleeding from every pore, the banda- 

 rillos suddenly retired, and the matador advanced alone. This was a 



