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290 THREE YEARS IN THE PACIFIC. 



hand, walked leisurely to the Prefect's box, for the reward he 

 had so dexterously won. 



One bull was encountered by six short-legged Indians, who, 

 armed with light spears, extended themselves on the ground, 

 in front of the den, to await his coming. He hurled his huge 

 weight among them, splintered several spears, and overturned 

 five Indians, in pursuit of the sixth. The excitement was very 

 great, for it was doubtful whether he would escape. Now he 

 gained a little, and then he lost ; he seemed to be out of breath ; 

 all feared that he would fall ; the bull's horns appeared to be 

 touching his back ! Corre, corre muchacho !" broke through 

 the silence from a hundred mouths, and thus encouraged, his 

 duck legs moved faster, and in longer strides, till at last, pant- 

 ing and breathless, he dodged between the posts in the centre 

 of the ring. By this time his companions had risen, and, armed 

 again with spears, placed themselves in a new position, to re- 

 ceive another attack. The bull, for an instant, looked wildly 

 at the Indian he had pursued, bellowed in disappointment, and 

 turned upon his expectant enemies. But when he drew near 

 to them, they threw away their arms, and fled, to the great 

 amusement of every body. The animal attacked every one 

 who opposed him, in quick succession, and received a wound 

 from every hand. One matad6r attempted the feat of Espinosa, 

 but missing his aim, the ^^punta" w^as tossed high in the air, 

 and both man and beast escaped unhurt. From long exertion 

 < and loss of blood, the animal seemed to be exhausted, yet he 

 could not be approached with impunity. He stood pawing the 

 ground and flirting his tail, but would not, any longer, attack 

 with fury ; therefore, he afibrded no more sport. The Luna — 

 a crescentic knife fixed at right angles on the end of a long 

 pole — was brought. They tried for a long time to get behind 

 him, before they succeeded in hamstringing his hind legs — 

 when they did, the poor brute still fought, and kept them at 

 bay, and even when the sinews of his fore legs were cut with 

 the luna, he attacked the matad6res on his stumps. He at last 

 fell, under the repeated blows of the dirk and sword of the ma- 

 tad6res, and was slowly expiring, when one of the many blows 

 reached the spine, and ended his torments. 



