500 
The vaults for interment, underneath the 
church, are formed, but they have not bu- 
ried inthem, nor will they for reasons given 
in a former letter; I am told that they are 
curiously constructed, but are now damp 
and unwholesome. TI, therefore, did not 
enter them. ‘The outside walls, as weil 
as the inner, are composed-of white mar- 
ble; they are made a convenience of by 
ballad-singers, who decorate them with 
their songs; and they serve to shelter the 
fruit-girl from the rays of the sun. 
Not far from hence is the inclosure 
where the bull-fights are exhibited. It 
is an amphitheatre, built of wood, up- 
wards of two hundred and fifty feet in 
diameter, and will contain eighteen thou- 
sand persons ; the price of admission‘is a 
dollar each: but the circumstances of the 
times have occasioned a forbiddance of 
this amusement, which the Spaniards 
consider as forming a part of their natie 
enal character—it is so, if cruelty and 
torture belongto it. The last bull-fight’ 
was at Malaga, in the course of the sum. 
mer, for the purpose of raising money to 
set the Spanish troops in motion. 
Although it is confessed to be a barba- 
rous spectacle, yet I never heard of a 
Spaniard who did not delight in it; they 
go miles (rather leagues) on such an oc-~ 
easion, and take pride to themselves in 
witnessing the cruelty, the torture, and 
the courage, alternately shewn by the bull, 
the horse, the dogs, and the men. 
I have often beard it described, but 
shall fail in my attempt to give you a cor- 
rect notion of it. A bullis chosen for 
his ferocity, and let loose froma dark con- 
finenvent into the area, where are in 
waiting the spearman (called the pica- 
dor) on horseback, and his attendants 
on foot; who, when the bull rushes on 
the horse, endeavour to draw him otf b 
throwing at him coloured woollen cloaks. 
The animal generally aims at goring the 
horse in his sides, and is often successful 
in throwing him and the rider; some- 
times killing both on the spot. If the 
bull do not shew sufficient courage in his 
attacks, he is worried by large dogs, and. 
pierced with barbed rockets thrown into 
his body. When he is subdued 
longer sble to maintain’ the 
against so ma ny advers 
fizhter enters on tvot, 
ous blow with 4 swore 
vertebra of the neck 
vomit torrents-of blog 
ward dragged from t 
decorated with Rags, &c, ami 
gf the spectators. * 
ne 15 after- 
Journal of a recent Voyage to Cadiz. 
[Jan. 1,_ 
Tt is usual, on these occasions, for the 
bull to be dedicated to some personage 
of rank; and if those are present whos 
name is announced, the »rze-fighters 
receive a reward for the honor conferred, 
I had the curiosity to see the interior 
of the building ; it is well arranged with 
rising seats, fancifully painted and orna- 
‘mented; but it is in complete decay, the 
wood-work being rotten, and the area 
covered with vegetation, The woman 
who has the care of the place, shewed 
some of the dogs which are engaged in 
the bull-fight; they are very large, and 
superior in size and ferocity to the Eng- 
lish mastiff. On her describing the 
amusement, she expressed her sorrow at | 
the discontinuance of it; but added a 
hope, that ‘ere long, a bull may be 
killed to. the honour of Ferdinand VII. . 
and the British nation.” sents! 
Adjoining this place is the prison, a 
large strong building; I found it would be. 
unproper to go withinside, though an_ 
oflicer’s guard is always on duty, and was 
therefore contented to pass it, remarking. 
its _neatness on the outside, and the fol- 
lowing inscription over the entrance : 
** Odio al delitemCompadece el delinquente. 
Hatred to crimes—Pit y the criminal.” 
Beside this prison is a house of correc- 
tion for women, and a building for the 
felons who are sentenced to slavery. 
There are not many of the latter now 
here, the few we see are employed on the 
fortifications, or dragging carts about the 
town; they are chained two and two, and 
are attended by a file of soldiers and a 
corregidor; who applies the whip to them 
occasionaily. 
The number of these wretches is con- 
siderably lessened, in consequence of 
their having been formed into a corps of 
sharp-shooters, to which they were in. 
general welladapted, as they were chiefly 
smugglers, and had had their abode in the 
mountains. ‘They have, however, proved 
since being in the army thei 
for their freedom by their 
their country’s cause, ¢ 
lourous behaviour with 
will quot€é an honora 
them, from the Gibr 
P'to them on condition 
d euter into the army; 
they 
4 
