BULL-FIGHTS. 223 



on horseback ; for the irritated and wounded animal 

 sometimes attacks and overturns both horse and rid- 

 er ; and when the latter is dismounted and disarmed, 

 he is protected from immediate danger by the com- 

 batants on foot, who endeavour to provoke and di- 

 vert the bull's attention by shaking before him pieces 

 of cloth of different colours ; but in attempting to 

 save the dismounted horseman, they are themselves 

 exposed to great hazard ; for the bull sometimes 

 pursues them, when they escape by dropping a piece 

 of coloured stuff, against which the deceived animal 

 exerts all his rage ; or, if this resource fail, the com- 

 batant springs over a barrier six feet high, which in- 

 closes the inner part of the arena. In some places 

 this barrier is double, forming in the intermediate 

 space a circular gallery, behind which the combatant 

 is in safety ; but in some cases the barrier is single, 

 and the bull succeeds in his attempt to surmount it 

 when an indescribable scene of consternation and 

 confusion immediately follows, which proves fatal to 

 many of the spectators, while the unfortunate animal 

 falls under the blows which are levelled at him from 

 all sides. 



" If the animal is not dispatched by those on horse- 

 back, and if he seem disposed to renew the combat* 

 they retire and give place to the banderilleros, who 

 are on foot, and presenting themselves before the 

 animal, the moment he darts upon them, plunge into 

 his neck a kind of hook-darts, ornamented with small 

 streamers of coloured paper. The rage of the animal 



