50G Simnish Highways and Bt/wat/s. [^Nov. 



animal did not appear in the least daunted by this terrific shock ; he 

 pursued the bear, and turned him over and over on the arena, until the 

 unhappy adventurer was rescued by the adroitness of the handilleros. 

 Still the poor animal plunged about the arena, bearing in his wounded 

 bod}^ the broken lance, and defying the approach of an antagonist, until 

 a man appeared with an instrument of steel, in the shape of a half moon, 

 very sharp, within the curve ; with this he divided the tendons of the 

 poor beast's legs, while another man despatched him by a blow on the 

 spine. Two bulls were then fought in the usual way ; one shewed good 

 sport, by killing a few horses and maiming several men, while the other 

 shewed still better, by leaping the wall of the arena, seven feet high, and 

 clearing the theatre in a twinkling. After order had been restored, 

 which this co7itreteinpi had for a time disturbed, six novellios were 

 turned into the arena. These are young bulls, not yet arrived at gla- 

 diatorial honours, but were allowed to receive a foretaste of their happy 

 condition, by being baited by the populace. The arena was shortly 

 thronged with people eager to display their prowess ; and presently, by 

 the assistance of the bulls, many were seen cutting summersets in the 

 air, while others, not so high-minded, were content with sprawling on 

 the earth. The horns of the animals were tipped, to prevent them doing 

 serious mischief. It is curious to observe the dexterity which the people 

 exert in escaping their dangerous assailants, and the hai'dihood with 

 which they brave their anger. Two boys particularly engaged my at- 

 tention. I beheld them carried for a distance on the horns of the bulls, 

 and thrown, but apparently without the slightest injury, for they im- 

 mediately resumed their sport. When the bulls had shewn sufficient 

 entertainment, some tame oxen were introduced, to induce the excited 

 animals to make an orderly retreat. If any should prove refractory, 

 two of the trained oxen immediately take charge of him, and conduct 

 him to his stall. These animals are trained to this purpose, and to bring 

 up the wild bulls from the plains to taste the blessings of a civilized 

 life. 



I attended the funeral of Don Gamboa, father of the friend with 

 whom I passed a few days at Christinas. At the church door I ob- 

 served the following inscription : — " Hoy sc saca anhnas." " To day 

 we take souls out of purgatory." It is a pleasant reflection to a sinner, 

 in a Catholic country, that he has rich friends, and charitable withal. 



Up to this period, the constitutional government had maintained its 

 position, and established a knowledge of its ultimate advantage on the 

 minds of the most sensible portion of the nation. But much remained 

 to be done, ere the greater part of the population of Spain could be 

 rescued from the tyranny of a superstitious and ignorant priesthood, by 

 the slow, though sure, progress of education and intelligence. The in- 

 tentions of the government, in this respect, were, vmhappily for man- 

 kind, checked by foreign interference; force, imited with ignorance, 

 prevailed, and Spain was again condemned to a hopeless though here- 

 ditary bondage. Foreign foes, and domestic traitors, wiU eventually 

 overturn the wisest policy. One morning, IMadrid was thrown into an 

 inconceivable state of agitation and alarm, by the news arriving that 

 BessiereSj who had raised a band of marauders in the provinces, had 

 suddenly made an irruption into the country bordering on Madrid, and 

 having taken Guadalaxara, defeating the militia and some regular troops, 

 threatened the capital itself. General O'Doyley was likewise forced to 



