he sports--
the real wrestlers in the games.

These are young men of all grades in society, and all of them mounted--
of course, each in the best way he can. There they go, prancing over
the ground, causing their gaily caparisoned steeds to caper and curvet,
especially in front of the tiers of seated senoritas. There are miners
among them, and young _hacendados_, and _rancheros_, and _vaqueros_, and
_ciboleros_, and young merchants who ride well. Every one rides well in
Mexico--even the dwellers in cities are good horsemen.

Nearly a hundred are there of these youths who intend to take part in
the various trials of skill in equitation.

Let the sports begin!

CHAPTER THREE.

The first exhibition on the programme was to be the _coleo de toros_,
which may be rendered in English as "tailing the bull." It is only in
the very large cities of Mexico where a regular _plaza de toros_, or
arena for the bull-fight, is to be found; but in every tillage, however
insignificant, the spoil of bull-tailing may be witnessed, as this only
requires an open plain, and as wild a bull as can be procured. The
sport is not quite so exciting as the bull-fight, as it is less perilous
to those engaged in it. Not unfrequently, however, a gored horse or a
mutilated rider is produced by the "coleo;" and fatal accidents have
occurred at times. The horses, too, sometimes stumble, and both horse
and rider are trampled by the others crowding from behind, so that in
the pellmell drive awkward accidents are anything but uncommon. The
coleo is, therefore, a game of strength, courage, and skill; and to
excel in it is an object of high ambition among the youth of a New
Mexican settlement.

The arrangements having been completed, it was announced by a herald
that the coleo was about to begin. These arrangements were simple
enough, and consisted in collecting the crowd to one side, so that the
bull, when let loose, would have a clear track before him in the
direction of the open country. Should he not be allowed this favour he
might head _towards_ the crowd,--a thing to be apprehended. In fear of
this, most of the women were to be seen mounting into the rude
_carretas_, scores of which were upon the ground, having carried their
owners to the spectacle. Of course the senoras and senoritas on the
raised benches felt secure.

The competitors were now drawn up in a line. There were a dozen
detailed for this first race,--young men of all c