362 TlMEHRI. 



The city also contains a Bull Ring, and once a week 

 this is generally in fall swing. It is patronised princi- 

 pally by the lower classes. 



I visited it once, just to say that I had seen a bull 

 fight. I shall not readily forget the sight. In a large 

 building, some eight or nine hundred people had assem- 

 bled. After frantic impatience on their part a bull came 

 bounding into the ring, looking wildly around for a 

 victim to gore, or something to eat. I believe the latter» 

 for it really looked very famished. The minor actors in 

 the fight were not long in putting in an appearance, and 

 then the battle commenced. It seemed to me that the 

 attacking party, five in number, were new to the 

 business, or afraid of pushing matters too far, for they 

 approached the bull with great consideration. Now and 

 then the more venturesome would manage to get their 

 dart in somewhere, and then dart out somewhere 

 leaving their red flag in the ring for the animal to 

 inspect:. This byplay after a time made the bull furious, 

 and the audience vexed : there was a demand for the 

 " Matador," and that great man made his appearance, 

 being received with yells of wild delight, which aston- 

 ished the bull and restored his senses. It was now to 

 be a single combat between man and beast ; the latter 

 had rested, and was ready for his new antagonist ; the 

 man seemingly equal to the occasion. As the fight waxed 

 fast and furious the excitement of the spectators kept pace. 



It was a long struggle, or it seemed so to me, but 

 matters were at last coming to a crisis, man or bull 

 must fall ; if the former there would be more excitement. 



To relieve suspense and the general quietness which 

 prevailed, a god in the gallery cried out in Spanish, 



