Aug 4 Sunday

Cooler [sic: Cooller].
Got up very late, shortly before lunch.
At 2 o'clock decided to go to a bull–fight. Went. Karl, Juan, L [Laura] & I. Laura in yellow with net gloves & amethyst ring.
Matadors: Jaime Noain, Pepe[RG]Gallardo, Rodrigo Fernando[RG]Dominguez. Procession of Misses in cars around the arena & 3 bands. Noain's first bull very weak; let off banderillos1. Gallardo's very cowardly wouldn't face horses: took a long time to kill: second[RG] remainder better but the matadors though hardworking & going through all the motions didn't appeal. Noain got ears. Gallardo goodish in second bull but took four shots at the descabello [sic: discabello] 2. Dominguez second bull — in half-dark — earned claps for a picador3, among the few that were given. Do. [Dominguez] got a cogida4 in right through the fleshy part of[RG]leg and elbow (we[?] think) (lying on his face while the bull attacked him)[RG] but insisted on continuing & killed at first attempt: then carried to hospital. Got ears.[RG]Biscuit glacé at Alhambra 4 coñacs5 & beefsteak [sic: beefstake]6. G. [Gelat]7 gave us information confirming our ideas about S.St.8
On the way back from Alhambra near Gordiola saw the procession of (15th?) Century horsemen with candles in cupped sticks resting on their stirrups, red-coated guards & an illuminated Catalina[RG]9 coach with Bengal flares & four horses pulling children in Mallorquin costume, and singing Republican anthem.

Editorial Notes

1banderillas are one metre sticks covered in coloured paper with a barb on the end which are stuck in the bull's neck. WG
2to kill a lying bull with daggerlike sword by piercing its nape. KG
3riding master. eds
4wound caused by bull's horns. KG
5cognacs. eds
6sandwiches. KG
7reference to Gelat,confirmed by KG, indicates that it was Gelat (Juan Marroig)and not his son Juan who accompanied LR and RG to the bullfight that day. eds
8? KG thinks unlikely to be Schwarz and Strenge. eds
9 Santa Catalina. KG

Hands Referenced

    • Annotation: ink correction
    • Character: regular
    • Ink: black

Places Mentioned

  • Alhambra

    Palma, Majorca, Sp
    One of the best Palma hotels. WG

People Mentioned

  • Laura

    Riding, Laura
    (1901-91) American poet. Laura Riding (née Reichenthal; then Laura Gottschalk).

  • Karl/Carl

    Goldschmidt, Karl
    Karl Goldschmidt, later Kenneth Gay: Graphic artist, friend and secretary of Robert Graves and Laura Riding since 1934. R. G. spells both as Carl and Karl.

  • Juan

    Mas, Juan Marroig
    Usually refers to Gelat's son, sometimes to Gelat himself. WG

  • Gelat

    Más, Juan Marroig
    Juan Marroig Mas, called Gelat: Landowner on Deyá and friend of Robert Graves and Laura Riding (L.R. & R.G.'s factotum. W.G.)

Organizations Mentioned

  • Gordiola

    Gordiola
    Makers of blown glass in Palma WG