60 



SIX MONTHS IN MEXICO. 



with considerable violence ran at an Indian, 

 against whom he had already shown symptoms 

 of hostility. Several persons now joined in 

 the attempt to work him up to the highest 

 point of irritation ; the young men advanced 

 in front of him, first with merely a pocket 

 handkerchief in their hands, and when they 

 had provoked him to attack them, they would 

 step aside, and leave the handkerchief covering 

 , his face. The contest had continued without 

 any one being endangered, till in a furious 

 charge at his Indian friend, the bull broke the 

 rope; but the sable adversary very dexte- 

 rously turned short round, seized him by the 

 tail, and contrived so to hold him, till another 

 rope was passed round his body, and he was 

 again secured. A soldier next leapt on his 

 back, but after a few efforts, the animal threw 

 him to a considerable distance, and he fell 

 with great violence. The animal now became 

 quite furious, when an Indian sprang upon its 



