The Spanish Fighting-Bull 203 



An animated spectacle it is on the eve of the corrida when, 

 amidst clouds of dust and clang of bells, the tame oxen and wild 

 bulls are driven forward by galloping horsemen and levelled 

 garrochas. The excited populace, already intoxicated with bull- 

 fever and the anticipation of the coming corridas, line the way 

 to the Plaza, careless if in the enthusiasm for the morrow they 

 risk some awkward rips to-day. 



Once inside the lofty walls of the toril it is easy to withdraw 

 the treacherous cabestros, and one by one to tempt the bulls each 

 into a small separate cell, the chiqiiero, the door of which will 

 to-morrow fall before his eyes. Then, rushing upon the arena, 

 he finds himself confronted and encircled by surging tiers of 

 yelling humanity, while the crash of trumpets and glare of 

 moving colours madden his brain. Then the gaudy horsemen, 

 with menacing lances, recall his day of trial on the distant plain 

 — horsemen now doubly hateful in their brilliant glittering tinsel. 



What a spectacle is presented by the Phiza at this moment ! 

 — one without parallel in the modern world. The vast amphi- 

 theatre, crowded to the last seat in every row and tier, is held 

 for some seconds in breathless suspense ; above, the glorious azure 

 canopy of an Andalucian summer sky ; below, on the yellow 

 arena, rushes forth the bull, fresh from his distant prairie, 

 amazed yet undaunted by the unwonted sight and bewildering 

 blaze of colour which surrounds him. For one brief moment the 

 vast mass of excited humanity sits spell-bound ; the clamour of 

 myriads is stilled. Then the pent-up cry bursts forth in frantic 

 volume, for the gleaning horns have done their work, and Buen 

 toro ! hueii toro ! rino-s from twice ten thousand throats. 



We have traced in brief outline the life-history of our gallant 

 bull ; we have brought him face to face with the matador and 

 his Toledan blade — there we must leave him.^ In concluding 

 this chapter, may we beg the generous reader, should he ever 

 enter the historic precincts of the Plaza, to go there with an 

 open mind, to form his own opinion without prejudice or bias. 

 Let him remember that to untrained eyes there must ever fall 

 unseen many of the finer " ^msses," much of the skilled technique 

 and science of tauromachian art. The casual spectator necessarily 



^ The oft-described details of the bull-figlit we omit ; but sliould any reader care to peruse 

 an impartial description tliereof, written by one of tlie co-autiiors of the present work, such 

 will be found in the Encyclopicdia o/Sjwrf, vol. i. p. 151. 



