BULL-FIGHT. 
65 
generally, were sleek, fat, and extremely fierce. They 
had little sharp horns, which were very smooth and 
bore a fine polish. Their fore legs were so short 
that but for the prodigious depth from the upper part 
of the shoulder to the extremity of the neck, they 
would have appeared stunted and disproportioned. 
From the extreme narrowness of the loins, compared 
with the depth and breadth of the fore-quarters, their 
hind legs seemed much too long. Their necks were 
very thick, indicating amazing strength, which they 
sufficiently manifested in the issue, while their heads 
were delicately small. They were of a deep liver 
colour. When brought into the area, being led by 
strong ropes attached to their horns and noses, they 
pawed the ground, threw themselves into the most 
violent contortions, and exhibited every symptom of 
the most desperate ferocity. The men who led them 
forward showed great dexterity in managing these im- 
petuous animals, adroitly avoiding their plunges and 
bringing them to a degree of control quite surprising, 
considering the intense excitement under which they 
were evidently labouring. 
The bulls seemed perfectly to comprehend why 
they were led into the area, betraying the most violent 
symptoms of impatience to try their prowess, while 
the spectators were no less impatient to witness 
a scene as novel as it promised to be terrific. At 
a given signal the ropes were slipped from the crea- 
tures’ heads and they were left at liberty. In a mo- 
ment they sprang forward as if to ascertain whether 
they were really released from the restraint of the 
ropes, then curving their backs, like a strung bow, 
g 3 
