174 ANIMAL ARTISANS 



Augustus. The Italian bull-fight was a fine exhibition 

 of courage on the part of the giostratori, with none of 

 the cruelty of the Spanish arena. The men, dressed 

 in white, with red sashes, and armed only with short 

 sticks tipped with flags, faced the bull the moment 

 it was released from the den ; the only place of refuge 

 available being a stout post placed in the centre of 

 the ring, round which a bull might be dodged for 

 a short time until another performer distracted its 

 attention. If the animal persevered in following a 

 single man, he escaped by means of iron rings let 

 into the barrier wall. When the bull was tired of 

 pursuit the den was thrown open, and it was allowed 

 to re-enter. The courage of men who, armed only 

 with a stick, braved these Pontine and Campagnan 

 bulls, fresh from their free life and as active as wild 

 animals, seems greater than that called for in any form 

 of athletic competition known to the Teutonic races. 

 The speed and quickness of these animals is such 

 that a well-mounted man has often difficulty in 

 escaping their charge in their native plains. Sir 

 Walter Scott's fine lines on the rush of the wild 

 white bull of Cadzow Chase : 



" Mightiest of all the beasts of chase 



That roam in woody Caledon, 

 Crashing the forest in his race, 



The mountain bull comes thundering on. 



Fierce, on the hunter's quivered band 



He rolls his eyes of swarthy glow, 

 Spurns, with black hoof and horn, the sand, 



And tosses high his mane of snow," 



