If You Do Not Find In The Market The
Abundance You Expect Of Its Picturesqueness You Must Blame The Lateness
Of the season, and go visit the bull-ring, one of the most famous in the
world, for Ronda is
Not less noted for its _toreros_ and _aficionados_
than for its vineyards and orchards. But here again the season will have
been before you with the glory of those _corridas_ which you have still
hoped not to witness but to turn from as an example to the natives
before the first horse is disemboweled or the first bull slain, or even
the first _banderillero_ tossed over the barrier.
The bull-ring seemed fast shut to the public when we approached it, but
we found ourselves smilingly welcomed to the interior by the kindly
mother in charge. She made us free of the whole vast place, where eight
thousand people could witness in perfect comfort the dying agonies of
beasts and men, but especially she showed us the chamber over the gate,
full of bullfighting properties: the pikes, the little barbed pennons,
the long sword by which the bull suffers and dies, as well as the
cumbrous saddles and bridles and spears for the unhappy horses and their
riders. She was especially compassionate of the horses, and she had
apparently no pleasure in any of the cruel things, though she was not
critical of the sport. The King of Spain is president of the Ronda
bull-fighting association, and she took us into the royal box, which is
the worthier to be seen because under it the bulls are shunted and
shouted into the ring from the pen where they have been kept in the
dark.
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