With the Battle Fleet: Cruise of the Sixteen Battleships of the United States Atlantic Fleet from Hampton Roads to the Golden Gate, December, 1907-May, 1908Matthews, Franklin
History
With the Battle Fleet: Cruise of the Sixteen Battleships of the United States Atlantic Fleet from Hampton Roads to the Golden Gate, December, 1907-May, 1908
Matthews, Franklin
United States. Navy. Atlantic Fleet -- Cruise, 1907-1909
Well, this one was held in the famous ring almost as old as Lima. Six
bulls from the famous stock of Rinconada de Mala, the property of Dr.
Don Jesus de Asin, had been provided. They were the fightiest bulls in
all Peru; and to make sure that they would do their best they had been
teased privately beforehand. The fight, as the handbills announced, was
a "grand gala," one given "in honor of the North American squadron to
celebrate its happy arrival at the port of Callao."
Well, the hospitality of the Government went further, for it named the
bulls in honor of the fleet. The first bull was "the gallant Alfred, in
honor of Admiral Evans"; the second, "the heroic Ranger, in honor of
Admiral Thomas"; the third, "the Brave Teddy, in honor of Admiral
Emory"; the fourth, "the Shufly, in honor of Admiral Sperry"; the fifth,
"Banjo, in honor of the officers of the navy"; the sixth, "Yankee
Doodle, in honor of the sailors." Could hospitality go further than
that?
About 175 men from each ship and all the officers of the fleet were
invited. The sailors filled two-thirds of the arena and the officers and
the high society of Lima filled the boxes. All had assembled on time,
and then came the President to sit in the box directly opposite that of
the officers of the municipality, with chairs of red plush for the box
and a dais for the President, who was in evening dress. The American
Admirals and Captains were in that grand box. The Peruvian band played
"The Star Spangled Banner" and the bluejackets stood at attention and
then all hands cheered. When the President came and the Peruvian
national hymn was played, the bluejackets gave three rousing cheers for
Pardo and Peru. Then all was ready for business. The key was tossed into
the ring for the parade of the fighters, capeadores, banderilleros,
matadors, the rig to pull the dead bulls out, and all that.
The Americans were all intense. The fighters took their stations, the
Mayor gave the word, a bugle blew, a door was opened and a great brown
and black bull with horns, as one of the local newspapers described
them, "like the spires of a steeple," bounded into the ring, took one
look around and dashed madly after an aged horseman riding a beautiful
iron gray pony and flaunting a red cape over his mount's flanks. There
were two of these horsemen and the exhibition they gave of fine riding
would have put the best cowboy or rough rider to shame. The man the bull
put after was more than eighty years old and the way he twisted his
pony here and there and just escaped the lunges of that bull, turning
sharp angles, pulling up short, making his horse fairly leap out of the
way, dodging this way and that until the bull was astonished elicited
roars of applause from the bluejackets. They liked that part. Then a
younger man took up the same work. He was even more skilful.
Bullfighting was fine so far.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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