what is really brought into this country. It is
only by comparing foreign statistics with home
fictions that we come to know the extent to
which the government is cheated. Indeed,
one would not be wrong in saying that
the incessant revolutions which distract this
unhappy country, all commence at the custom-
houses. Owing to the frauds of the officials,
the revenue falls short; to make up the
deficiency, the customs are raised until the
necessaries of life are too dear for men of small
means. Thus discontent is sown broadcast,
and discontent leads to conspiracies. Yet,
great as the evil is, one cannot help laughing
at the impudence of some of the frauds.
According to the published returns, the people
here must be the dirtiest in the world with
any pretentions to civilisation, since it is
officially made out that a quarter of an ounce of
soap in a week is all that each person uses.
We know that the province of Carácas alone
consumes a hundred barrels of flour a day,
whereas, according to the custom-house returns,
the daily consumption of all Venezuela does not
reach sixty-nine barrels. Under such circumstances,
it is no wonder that the public treasury
is empty, that the revenues of the Aduánas are
all more or less mortgaged, and that there are
no remittances to the capital except from La
Guaira and Puerto Cabello. Of course the only
resource is to borrow in foreign markets, and
hence," said C., throwing away the end of his
cigar, "I have the pleasure of meeting you
here. Apropos of which, as there is a bull-fight
to-day, and you have never seen one, let us
stroll down to the Corrida."

Before we could reach the eastern outskirt of
the town, where the building stands in which
the bull-fights are held, a mass of clouds came
drifting from the Avila, and a light rain began,
in earnest of a more pelting shower. Looking
about for shelter, and seeing at a window some
ladies whom we knew slightly, we went in to
talk to them. I said to one of them, a slim
girl with immense dark eyes, and singularly long
eyelashes, "We are going to the Corrida; does
the señorita ever go?"

"No, señior, I never go. The ladies of
Venezuela think bull-fights very barbarous. As
for me, I cannot understand how any one can
take pleasure in such odious cruelty."

"Indeed?" said I, rather astonished. "But
surely in Spain ladies think differently. At
Madrid it is quite the fashion for them to
attend."

"That may be; we do not follow the fashions
of Spain. Perhaps we are more tender-hearted
here."

After this dialogue, I was not surprised, on
entering the Cirque in which the bull-fight was
to be held, to find that the spectators were
nearly all men, and that the few women who
were present were of the lower orders. The
building was of wood, open to the sky in the
centre, and anything but substantial. Several
tiers of seats, each a foot or so higher than the
other, had been erected round a circular area
about a hundred and twenty feet in diameter.
These seats accommodated perhaps fifteen
hundred people, and there seemed but little
room to spare. In front of the lowest seat,
which was not much raised from the ground,
were strong palisades, between which a man
could slip with ease, and thus they afforded the
toreros a secure retreat from the fury of the
bulls. Close to where I took my place there
was a large gate, which was thrown open to
admit the bulls one by one. First of all,
however, a squeaking band struck up, and eight
toreros, or pedestrian bull-fighters, entered, and
saluted some person of note who sat opposite
the large gate. Just at that moment, the
thunder-shower which had been gathering
descended in torrents, and the people shouted to the
toreros, "No moja se"—" Don't get wet!" on
which they slipped in between the palisades, and
so put themselves under cover. They were very
well-made active fellows, with extremely good
legs, which were seen to advantage, as they
wore white silk stockings and knee-breeches
embroidered with gold.

As soon as the rain stopped there was a loud
shout, and presently the large gate opened and
in rushed a bull. He was a dark animal, almost
black, and had evidently been goaded to
madness, for he came charging in, tossing his head,
and with his tail erect. I could see, however,
that the sharp points of his horns had been
sawn off. One of the toreros now ran nimbly
up to the bull and threw his red cloak on the
ground before him, on which the animal made
a furious charge, attempting to gore—not the
man, of whom he at first took no notice, but
the cloak. The torero dragged this along rapidly,
and adroitly whisking it from side to side,
fatigued the bull by causing him to make fruitless
rushes, now in this direction, now in that.
This was repeated again and again, until the
animal seemed quite tired. The most active of
the toreros then advanced with a banderilla, or
javelin entwined with fireworks in one hand, and
his cloak in the other. He came so close to the
bull that the animal charged him headlong. In
a moment the torero glided to one side, and
drove the dart into the bull, pinning the wretched
animal's ear to his neck. Immediately the fireworks
around the dart began to explode, and
the terrified bull turned and rushed madly across
the arena. In half a minute or so the fire had
reached the flesh, and began to burn into it.
The bull then reared straight up, bellowing
piteously, while its poor flanks heaved with the
torture. Anon it dashed its head against the
ground, driving the dart further into its flesh,
and so continued to gallop round the ring in a
succession of rearings and plungings. This
seemed to be a moment of exquisite delight to
the spectators, who yelled out applause, and
some in their excitement stood up clapping
and shouting. I was heartily disgusted, and
would have gone out at once had it been
possible, but I was too tightly wedged in.
Meantime, the large gate opened again, and
the poor bull fled through it, to be slaughtered