TAUEOMACHIA, THE FIGHTING BULL OF SPAIN. 6B 



receiving on his shoulder the (larwcha point ; thrown back 

 for a moment, and smarting under this first check to his 

 hitherto unthwarted will, he returns to the charge with 

 redoubled furj', but only to find the horse protected as 

 before : the pluckier spirits will make a third or a fourth 

 attack, but those which freely charge tn-ice are passed as 

 fit for the ring. 



Sometimes the young bull declines to charge the tenta(Joi\ 

 submitting quietly to his overthrow, and only desir- 

 ing to escape. He does not get off without a second 

 fall ; but if, after this, he still refuses to charge, he is at 

 once condemned — doomed to death, or at best a life of 

 agricultural toil. A note is taken of each selected bull (its 

 colour, size, and shape of horns, and general appearance) ; 

 and each is entered in the herd-book, under a particular 

 name — such as Espartero, Cardinillo, Linares, Flamenco, 

 and the like. By these names they are known, and at the 

 end publicly described in the flaming "posters" and 

 advertisements of the Corrida at which they are to make 

 their final appearance. 



Nor is there anything modern in this individualizing of 

 the champions of the arena. In the Moorish ballads 

 ("The Bull-Fight of Gazul"), so happily translated by 

 Lockhart, we find the " toro bravo " had his name in those 

 days : — 



" Now stops the dnuii ; close, close they come ; thrice meet, and 

 thrice give back : 

 The white foam of Harpado lies on the charter's breast of black — 

 The white foam of the charger on Harpado 's front of dim ; — 

 Once more advance upon his lance — once more, thou fearless one ! " 



It often happens, when a bull is singled out from the 

 rodeo, that he does not take to his heels as expected, but 

 charges the nearest person, on foot or mounted, that he 

 may see. Then look out for squalls ! The danger must be 

 averted, when it is averted, by skill and experience ; but it 

 seldom happens that one of these trial-days passes without 

 broken bones or accidents of some kind or other. The 

 men engaged in these operations have, of course, no shelter 

 of any kind ; but the Spanish herdsmen, when taken at 



