456 A YEAR OF COSTA RICAN NATURAL HISTORY 



the victim in various ways. When any bull was adjudged to 

 have afforded the maximum of amusement and entertain- 

 ment, it was lassoed round the horns and led oif to the pen 

 and another brought in to take its place. No attempt was 

 made to kill or seriously injure the animals. The principal 

 danger was to the men taking part, especially to him who 

 rode the bull. We saw one man thrown violently to the 

 ground; he arose immediately but as he walked off a crowd 

 gathered around him and hid him from sight; we learned 

 that he had received a severe blow on the chin when thrown. 

 Professor Tristan left the platform at this time declaring 

 he could not look at the spectacle any longer and I took 

 advantage of the opportunity to do likewise. To me it was 

 painful to see the risks run by the riders of the bulls as well 

 as the teasing to which the animals were subjected, but the 

 popularity of the show proves that the majority of the spec- 

 tators did not feel this. Each day the "toros" lasted from 

 about one to five or five-thirty. 



During the fiestas rockets, bombs and firecrackers might 

 be expected at any hour of the day or night, while at eight 

 o'clock in the evening fireworks — some quite elaborate — 

 were set off in the plaza. There was even a small saluting 

 cannon, with a Spanish crown on its barrel, mounted on a 

 pair of cart wheels, to add to the din, and from time to time 

 the church bells clanged furiously. Night and day, in sev- 

 eral houses in different parts of the town, the marimba (here 

 usually in the hands of a single player) and other instru- 

 ments furnished music for an endless succession of dancing 

 couples. There was much drinking, and drunken men 

 reeled about the streets, occasionally taking up their station 

 in front of the schoolhouse in the wee sma' hours and making 

 sleep impossible. There was no violence within my obser- 

 vation, although one could usually see the heads of several 

 men pressed against the window bars of the carcel. Police 



