SPANISH BULL-HUNTING. 79 



turned upon the second ; he in like manner was rescued 

 by a third, and so on. The attention of the infuriated 

 animal thus distracted, prevented his escape, and gave 

 time for the other hunters to come up. The bulls were 

 thus at length separated from the herd. A sufficient num- 

 ber having arrived to form a circle round them, we com- 

 menced operations for the purpose of driving them towards 

 the town. All the skill of the riders was now necessary, 

 and ail the activity possessed by both man and horse, to 

 keep clear from the pointed horns which on every side 

 were directed against him, as well as to prevent the herd 

 from breaking through the living net with which it was 

 surrounded. This was perhaps the most difficult part, 

 and was attained by keeping each bull separately engaged, 

 and thus preventing united action ; for what line was suffi- 

 cient, armed as we were, to resist the simultaneous rush 

 of these most powerful animals ? The continued activity 

 and exertion requisite had knocked up many of the poor 

 jades who had started in the morning, and the circle be- 

 came smaller and smaller as the day advanced ; several, 

 too, had been carried off severely gored and wounded by 

 the horns and feet of the bulls. I, however, and the party 

 with whom I started, were resolved to see the conclusion, 

 and, redoubling our efforts, we at length, about four o'clock 

 in the afternoon, succeeded in driving them into an enclo- 

 sure where were a number of oxen (all at one time wild) 

 with bells, quietly grazing. Here they were kept until 

 required for the* next day's sport. 



The square of Alcoxete had been fitted up in the form 

 of an arena, with seats or rather standing-places all round ; 

 the centre was carefully cleaned, all stones removed, and 

 fresh sand strewed. At one side a cart was stationed 

 for a purpose to be presently described ; at the other a 

 pen was fitted up for the reception of each bull as it was 

 to make its appearance, communicating by a door with 

 the place where the herd was enclosed. The difficulty of 



