The team of mules now enter, glittering with flags, and tinkling with bells, whose gay decorations contrast with the stern cruelty and blood; the dead bull is carried off at a rapid gallop, which always delights the populace. The espada wipes the hot blood from his sword, and bows with admirable sangfroid to the spectators, who throw their hats into the arena, a compliment which he returns by throwing them back again. When a bull will not run at all at the picador, or at the muleta, he is called a toro abanto, and the media luna, the half-moon, is called for; this is the cruel ancient Oriental mode of houghing the cattle (Joshua xi. 6). The instrument is the Iberian bident--a sharp steel crescent placed in a long pole. The cowardly blow is given from behind; and when the poor beast is crippled, an assistant, the cachetero, pierces the spinal marrow with his cachete--puntilla, or pointed dagger--with a traitorous stab from behind. This is the usual method of slaughtering cattle in Spain. To perform all these operations (el desjarretar) is considered beneath the dignity of the matadores or espadas; some of them, however, will kill the bull by plunging the point of their sword in the vertebræ, el descabellar--the danger gives dignity to the difficult feat. The identical process obtains in each of the fights that follow. After a short collapse, a fresh object raises a new desire, and the fierce sport is renewed through eight repetitions; and not till darkness covers the heavens do the mob retire to sacrifice the rest of the night to Bacchus and Venus, with a passing homage to the knife. APPENDIX CHRONOLOGICAL TABLES NO. I Carthaginian Domination in Spain 238 to 200 B.C. Roman Domination 200 B.C. to 414 A.D. Visigothic Domination 414 A.D. to 711 A.D. _Visigothic Kings_ A.D. Ataulfo 414, D. 417 Sigerico 417 Walia 420 Teodoredo 451 Turismundo 454 Teodorico 466 Eurico 483 This king, after conquering the Suevi and other races, is considered he founder of the monarchy. Alarico D. 505 Gesaleico 510 Amalarico 531 Teudis 548 Teudiselo 549 Agila 554 Atanagildo 567 Liuva I. 572 Leovigildo 586 After destroying the barbarians that still remained in the country, he was the first king who ruled over the whole of the Peninsula. Recaredo I. 601 Summoned the 3d Council of Toledo, renounced Arianism, and became the first Catholic king of Spain.