At these sports there are usually from four to six bulls sacrificed.  The audience occupies seats around the ring in which the exhibition is given, each seat but the foremost rising higher than the one in front, so that every one can get a full view of the sport.  When all is ready a bull is turned into the ring.  Three or four men come in, mounted on the merest skeletons of horses blind or blind-folded and so weak that they could not make a sudden turn with their riders without danger of falling down.  The men are armed with spears having a point as sharp as a needle.  Other men enter the arena on foot, armed with red flags and explosives about the size of a musket cartridge.  To each of these explosives is fastened a barbed needle which serves the purpose of attaching them to the bull by running the needle into the skin.  Before the animal is turned loose a lot of these explosives are attached to him.  The pain from the pricking of the skin by the needles is exasperating; but when the explosions of the cartridges commence the animal becomes frantic.  As he makes a lunge towards one horseman, another runs a spear into him.  He turns towards his last tormentor when a man on foot holds out a red flag; the bull rushes for this and is allowed to take it on his horns.  The flag drops and covers the eyes of the animal so that he is at a loss what to do; it is jerked from him and the torment is renewed.  When the animal is worked into an uncontrollable frenzy, the horsemen withdraw, and the matadores —­literally murderers—­enter, armed with knives having blades twelve or eighteen inches long, and sharp.  The trick is to dodge an attack from the animal and stab him to the heart as he passes.  If these efforts fail the bull is finally lassoed, held fast and killed by driving a knife blade into the spinal column just back of the horns.  He is then dragged out by horses or mules, another is let into the ring, and the same performance is renewed.

On the occasion when I was present one of the bulls was not turned aside by the attacks in the rear, the presentations of the red flag, etc., etc., but kept right on, and placing his horns under the flanks of a horse threw him and his rider to the ground with great force.  The horse was killed and the rider lay prostrate as if dead.  The bull was then lassoed and killed in the manner above described.  Men came in and carried the dead man off in a litter.  When the slaughtered bull and horse were dragged out, a fresh bull was turned into the ring.  Conspicuous among the spectators was the man who had been carried out on a litter but a few minutes before.  He was only dead so far as that performance went; but the corpse was so lively that it could not forego the chance of witnessing the discomfiture of some of his brethren who might not be so fortunate.  There was a feeling of disgust manifested by the audience to find that he had come to life again.  I confess that I felt sorry to see the cruelty to the bull and the horse.  I did not stay for the conclusion of the performance; but while I did stay, there was not a bull killed in the prescribed way.