Page:Pictures of life in Mexico Vol 1.djvu/189

Rh is very savage and irritable, but sulky. The instant they are let loose, they rush fiercely upon one another; but the shock is not so violent as before: the bull gores his adversary terribly with his blunted horns, yet the bear appears to offer little resistance to his attacks; he only hangs about the muzzle of the bull. Bruin appears sorely worsted at first, and seems to have made but very little impression upon his antagonist. A moment's breathing time, each glancing with dire animosity upon the other the while; then they again encounter, and the bear is sadly crushed and mangled: still he hovers round the bull's muzzle, as before. His purpose becomes apparent when the bull opens his mouth wide to bellow; for suddenly the bear seizes upon the bull's tongue with his fangs. The tortured bull exerts all his strength to throw off his assailant; but the bear's hold is tenacious, and relaxes not till he has torn out the tongue by the roots! This decides the combat: the bull, overcome by the agony, sinks down powerless at once, and is immediately dragged off the arena to die.

The bear, on these occasions, is always comparatively passive, until he can seize his