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 chiquero, 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 Plaza 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! buen toro! rings 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 ‘“‘ passes,” much of the skilled technique 
and science of tauromachian art. The casual spectator necessarily 
+ The oft-described details of the bull-fight we omit ; but should any reader care to peruse 
an impartial description thereof, written by one of the co-authors of the present work, such 
will be found in the Encyclopedia of Sport, vol. i. p. 151. 
