|
February 27, 1908
"Went ashore
last Monday and took in the bullfight given in honor
of the American Fleet. There were six bulls killed,
I saw three killed and then, as I had seen enough of
murder I left the Bull Ring. The first bull was
named the gallant "Alfred" in honor of Admiral
Evans. The second the heroic "Ranger"
in honor of Admiral Thomas, the third, the brave
"Eddy in honor of Admiral Emory, the fourth, the
"Shufly" in honor of Admiral Sperry, the fifth,
the "Banjo" in honor of the officers of the
Navy, and the sixth, "Yankee Doodle" in honor
of the Sailors.
Suppose you have
seen accounts of the affair in the papers, but I will
tell you in a few words how the event took place.
First there was
a parade around the bull ring, of the people taking
part in the fight, and the double-team of horses that
were used to pull the bulls out of the ring after they
were killed. The first bull was then admitted
to the ring (it would be well to add that these bulls
are about half starved for a week before the event takes
place in order to make them more ferocious.) Two men
called Capeadores are mounted on horse back and as the
bull comes into the ring they ride up in front of him
and wave red capes in front of him. The bull charges
at the horses, but generally the horses manage to get
away. But I saw one horse get a terrible gash
cut in his hind leg by the horns of the bull. After
they have teased him awhile the bugle is blown and the
Matadoers of men on foot get after him. These
men are also armed with red capes which they throw in
front of the bull in order to get him mad. The
animal makes vigorous attempts to get the men, but they
manage to side-step him and get away, although I saw
one man get gored in the side. His comrades got
the bull off of him in time to save his life. The
bugle then sound again, and this time the Bandaerilleros
attach him with an instrument somewhat like a fish-hook
mounted on a stick about two feet long. These
are stuck two at a time into the bulls back at the shoulders,
about eight in all are thrown. This so enrages
the bull that he rushes around at furious rate of speed.
Again the bugle sounds and this time a man called
a Matadore comes out with a sword and sticks it in the
bulls neck close up to the shoulder, in an attempt to
sever the artery which compels the bull to fall down
exhausted for loss of blood. The bugle again sounds
and a man comes out and sticks him in the back of the
neck with a dagger. This puts an end to the poor
bull and he is then dragged out of the ring at a two-forty
gate and cut into steaks right outside of the ring.
I saw three killed in the above mentioned manner
and it will be a long time before I go to see another
one."
|
