BOTANICAL INFORMATION. 495 
by Montés, who is the pride of Spain and the hero of a 
hundred bull-fights. At Ronda, this man's name was 
printed in large red letters, like that of a Lablache or Rubini. 
His book is full of technical terms and strange details, and 
the preface contains a justification of the science, which is 
highly amusing to a foreigner by its naïveté. 
The following day I went to see the Capea, a kind of 
burlesque which winds up the spectacle, much as a farce or 
after-piece follows a tragedy. Tbe arena was filled with the 
crowd, when a number of very young bulls were let loose, who 
were more inclined to play than mischief. The people teazed 
the animals and often got themselves rolled in the dust; and 
the diversion was ended by two gipsy-women, who were 
intended to parody.a real bull-fight. The poor creatures, 
ready to die of fright, were clad like Amazons and reluctantly 
hoisted on horses, which were presently attacked by.a bull, 
whose horns were sheathed in large wooden balls. Every 
time the beast pushed against the horses, the women tumbled 
off; while the Toréadors, who attended as amateurs, did 
nothing but laugh at their terror, give them draughts of cold 
. Water, and persuade them by coaxing and entreaties to be 
. Teseated in the saddles. A third Gitana, whom I verily 
leve to bave been intoxicated with aguardiente and who 
_ Was to have feigned to slay the bull after the fashion of a 
— Matador, was obliged to give up, after being repeatedly and 
 &wkwardly unhorsed. T : 
The three Fair-days being over, Ronda was soon quit of 
: ^ its throng of strangers. More to my taste were the solitude 
.. 4nd peace of the country, than the bustle which had prevailed. 
. lenjoyed strolling along the Tajo and exploring the fissures 
. of the rocks to the north of the town; where the shade and 
. Moïsture favoured the growth of many plants I had not seen - 
before, as Hyoseris lucida, Lactuca tenerrima and several 
