“CORRIDA DE TOROS.”

King Country Chronicle, Volume XIX, Issue 2052, 6 December 1924, Page 3

“CORRIDA DE TOROS.”

THE NOBLE SPOIIT OF SPAIN. AS A NEW ZEALANDER SAW IT. The following account of a bullfight at Madrid is taken from a letter sent by a young New Zealander to relatives in Christchurch a few weeks ago. 1 went will two Frenchmen to the bull-light last Thursday. Wo arrived at the plaza, fairly early, and so were able to look round well. The ring, 50 or GO yards in diameter, is covered with sand (“arena” in Latin and Spanish means “sand”) and is surrounded by a wooden wall about sft high, over which the fighters jump if too closely followed by the hull. I see in Baedeker that Id,ooo people can ho seated for the fights, and tho day I went (this being tho last show of the year) the place was absolutely packed,"and seemed one mass of moving fans. I saw only one girl turn up in real Spanish costume, with a huge mantilla of white silk and a lovely coloured shawl. The place is, of course, quite open, and like the old Roman amphitheatres. In fact, the whole thing has very much that atmosphere of cruelty and degeneration, and in the box where Nero might have sat were the Queen and Queen-Mother of Spain. 1111611 tho doors opened to let in the bulls, I felt very much the same as I felt when seeing the film “Quo Vadis,” when tho dolors of the Coliseum went up and tho lions came out. As you know, the Spaniards are nab famed for their punctuality, except at one event, and that is a bull-fight. If it is timed for 4.30, at 4.30 all are iu their places, and if it does not start at once everyone whistles and there is a young devolution. Our show was timed for 4.30, and exactly at 4.30 in rode two horsemen in old Spanish dress of the time of Phillip ll—black silk tunic and breeches, black stockings and black hat with a white plume. . They separated and rode, or rather pranced magnificently and slowly round the edge of the arena in opposite directions until they met again on the far side in front of the main gates. At that moment the band struck up a march and the gates opened for the “entry of the gladiators.” Headed by the two horsemen they all marched slowly across tho arena and saluted the president (on that day “Bombita,” the most famous living matador) by taking off their hats and making a profound bow. Eac-h rank then opened out to let the others come o»i. - Immediately behind tho horsemen camo tho three matadors, one in blue, one in red, one in yellow, each one copiously covered) with gold braiding and carrying a, huge red cloak (“capa”). Thgn came the kisser fighters such as the banderillcros, etc., then four men on horses, the picadors, carrying long lances, and then, in red, various people to clean up, these sort not doing any fighting, and finally came two sets of three huge 'carthorses, to be used for dragging away the dead bodies. Each one, after salu/ting, cleared out, leaving the place clear for the four on- five who had to do their work.

Tliat done, one of the black horsemen rode to the president’s box again, salifted and held out his hat, into which the president threw the key of the door to the bulls’ boxes. The man rode across the arena, gave the key to the doorkeeper, and made off for all he was worth. All was now ready for action, the hand stopped playing, the people stopped talking and then a few notes blown upon a trumpet. The doors opened and out of the pitch darkness into the blazing sunlighS washed a black bull. It stoud still and gazed around for a minute, and then, seeing a man hovering around somewhere near the edge of the arena, made a rush at him like a Hash of lightning. I should never have thought that a bull could move so fast. However, the man simply stepped through an exit in the wood paling and the bull charged up against the wood. The ring is made with little gaps for tlio fighters to step through if they want to. . Then various people went out and waved their capas or oloaks about, and when the bull charged at them, simply stopped away and let the bull run at tho red eupu. Those who| were very brave showed off by letting the hull rush by them, simply holding the capa away from them and never moving as the bull passed. Sometimes they moved round and round on the same spot while the Wall rushed round them trying to get at the red! Then, when the bull stood still they would turn on their heel and walk right away without ever turning to see if it were following l Then the horses were brought in, and as the bull charged at them he received a jab in the neck from the picadors, but this rarely stopped their rush, and they went light on, lifting horse and man right up into the air, after which both came down with a crash on the grodvnd. The extraordinary tiling was that no man was h|urt, though, of course, the horses were, and unless they were lucky enough to be killed outright, they got up terribly gashed, and were taken away to be sewn up and brought on later in the day again. This happens three or folur times for every bull, and is tho worst part of the show. Some of the horses were in a really awflal condition. They all have their vocal cords cut before they are used so that they cannot make any noise when they are hurt. 1 was always glad when the trumpet sounded f<*r 'the second phase. All the live horses were cleared out and only two men remained in tho arena, one with a capa, the other with a pair of banderillas, or sticks about two feet long, painted in different colours, and with iron hooks at the end. This man made noises, shouted at the bull, and danced about in front of it iuntil he got into a suitable positon, retreated about 20 yards away, and holding both banderillas high above his head and, pointing at the bull, rushed for all he was worth at theb ull. Just as he was reaching the animal i>b put its hear! down and moved forward. As it did so the man arrived and dug both banderillas with such force into its neck, just above the shoulders, that the bull was brought to a. standstill and the man passed on to due side. Unless tho bull charged at him and so had its head down, of course the man could do nothing, and ran by on one side. The bull the shook itself to try and get rid of the banderillas,. but they were too firmly fixed. This was re-

peated until three pairs of bauderillas were fixed, each time, if it was well done, the man being greeted with rounds of applause. As soon as the third pair was fixed the trumpet was blown again and the third and last stage arrived. The matador chosen to kill the. hull stepped into the ring. carrying a sword and a “milleta,” which is a small scarlet cloth abol.it the size of a dish olflth, and which is substituted for the too cumbersome capa_. He dedicates the bull to someone, takes off his hat and throws it rip to the person to whom he has dedicated the bull, and afterwards, if successful, bos fho hat thrown back again with inside it a present from the person “honoured.” The dedication done, he goes out and, followed by several men to help liim if lie is in any danger, be goes to tho bulk ami makes several passes “a la muleta” as they call it, lamtil the bull stands still. Then, standing about two yards right in front of tho bull, he aims the sword at its neck for a few seconds and then rushes upon it. As tho bull moves forward he runs tho sword right through between the shoulders. Sometimes he succeeds at the first thrust, but on this day every man uiscd three or four swords. Once the sword ran right through the bull with pclint sticking out tho other side, but the bull still fought on for several minutes more. All this was repeated, six times. After this description I am sure you will mil feel sick at the cruelty, so I will say no more.