ugh the bull's nose, leaving a crust of dirt on one
side as it came out bloody on the other. The bull, held back by the
rope over his horns, stood with his neck outstretched; and when the end
of the rope passed through, he licked his gory nose, pawed the ground,
and bellowed.

He was then lazoed, dragged up to the post, girt with the rope around
his body like the other, and then, amid bursts of music, rockets, and
shouts, again let loose. The chulos went at him, flaring before him
with the left hand red and yellow ponchas, and holding in the right
darts containing fireworks, and ornamented with yellow paper cut into
slips. These they thrust into his neck and flanks. The current of air
accelerated the ignition of the fire; and when the fireworks exploded,
the paper still rattled about his ears. The picadores then mounted
their horses; but, after a few thrusts of the spear, the bull flinched,
and the spectators, indignant that he did not show more fight, cried
out, "_Saca esa vaca!_" "Take out that _cow_!"

The next was hauled on in the same way by a rope through his nose. He
was girt with the rope, tortured with darts, speared by the picadores
on horseback, and, as he did not show good fight, they dismounted and
attacked him on foot. This is considered the most dangerous contest
both for man and beast. The picadores formed in front of him, each with
a black or yellow poncha in his left hand, and poising his spear with
the right. They stood with their legs extended and knees bent, so as to
keep a firm foothold, changing position by a spring forward or
backward, on one side or the other, to meet the movement of the bull's
head. The object was to strike between the horns into the back of the
neck. Two or three struck him fairly with a cutting, heavy sound, and
drew out their spears reeking with blood. One man misdirected his blow;
the bull threw up his neck with the long handle of the spear standing
upright in it, and rushing upon the picador, hurled him to the ground,
and passed over his body, seeming to strike him with all four of his
hoofs. The man never moved, but lay on his back, with his arms
outstretched, apparently dead. The bull moved on with the handle of the
spear still standing up in his neck, a terror to all in the ring. The
vaqueros went in pursuit of him with the lazos, and, chasing him round,
the spear fell out, and they caught him. In the mean time, the fallen
man was picked up by some of his companions, a