The White Chief | Page 4

of
the mines, and a few merchant dandies of the town. Her choice may be
some one of these. Quien sabe?
Let us on through the crowd!
We see the soldiers of the garrison, with tinkling spurs and long trailing
sabres, mingling fraternally with the serape-clad tradesmen, the
gambucinos, and rancheros of the valley. They imitate their officers in
strut and swagger--the very character of which enables one to tell that
the military power is here in the ascendant. They are all
dragoons--infantry would not avail against an Indian enemy--and they
fancy that the loud clinking of their spurs, and the rattle of their steel
scabbards, add greatly to their importance. They have their eyes after
the poblanas, and the sweethearts of the poblanas keep their eyes after
them in a constant vigil of jealousy.
The "poblanas" are the pretty girls of the place; but, pretty or plain, all
the girls are out to-day in their best and gayest apparel. Some wear
enaguas of blue--others of scarlet--others of purple; and many of them
tastefully flounced at the bottoms with a trimming of narrow lace. They
wear the embroidered chemisette, with its snow-white frills, and the
blueish reboso, gracefully arranged, so as to conceal neck, bosom, arms,
and, in some cases of coquetry, even the face! Ere night this jealous
garment will have lost half its prudery. Already the prettier faces peep

forth; and you may see, from the softness of the complexion, that they
have been just washed free of the "allegria" that for the last two weeks
has rendered them hideous.
The "rancheros" are in their full and beautiful costume--velveteen
trousers, wide at the bottoms and open up the sides; botas of unstained
leather; jackets of tanned sheepskin; or velveteen richly embroidered;
fancy-worked shirts underneath; and scarfs of rich red silk around the
waist. Over all the broad-brimmed sombrero, of black glaze, with silver
or gold band, and tags of the same, screwed into the crown. Some have
no jacket, but the serape, hanging negligently from their shoulders,
serves in place of one. All of these men have horses with them; and on
their feet may be seen spurs full five pounds in weight, with rowels
three, four, and even five inches in diameter!
The "gambucinos," and young men of the town, the smaller
tradespeople, are very similarly attired; but those of higher class--the
officials and "comerciantes"--are clad in broad-cloth jackets and
pantaloons, not exactly of European cut, but approaching it--a sort of
compromise between Paris fashions and the native costume of the
country.
Another costume may be noticed, worn by many of the crowd. This is
the dress of the native "Pueblos", or Indios mansos--the poor labourers
of the mines, and the neophytes of the mission. It is a simple dress, and
consists of an upper garment, the tilma, a sort of coat without sleeves.
A coffee-sack with a hole ripped in the bottom for the head to pass
through, and a slit cut in each side for the arms, would make the
"tilma." It has no waist, and hangs nearly to the hips without other
fastening than the support at the shoulders. The tilma is usually a piece
of coarse rug--a cheap woollen cloth of the country, called "gerga," of a
whitish colour, with a few dyed threads to give the semblance of a
pattern. This with a pair of dressed sheepskin breeches and rude
sandals--guaraches--constitutes the wear of most of the "Indios
mansos" of Mexico. The head is bare; and the legs, from the knee to the
ankle, shine forth in all their copper-coloured nakedness.
Of these dark aborigines--the "peons" of the mission and the mines--

there are hundreds stalking about, while their wives and daughters sit
squatted upon the ground in rear of their petates; upon which are piled
the fruits of the soil--the tunas, petahayas, plums, apricots, grapes,
sandias, and other species of melons, with roasted nuts of the
pinon-tree, the produce of the neighbouring mountains. Others keep
stands of dulces and agua-miel or limonada; while others sell small
loaves--piloncilios--of corn-stalk sugar, or baked roots of the agave.
Some squat before fires, and prepare tortillas and chile Colorado; or
melt the sugared chocolate cake in their urn-like earthen ollas. From
these humble "hucksters," a hot peppery stew, a dish of atole, or a bowl
of pinole, is to be had for a few clacos. There are other stands where
you can buy cigarillos of punche, or a drink of the fiery aguardiente
from Taos or El Paso; and these stands are favourite resorts of the
thirsty miners and soldiers. There are no "booths," but most of the
hucksters protect themselves from the sun by a huge screen of palmetto
mat (petate) placed umbrella-like over their heads.
There is one class of persons yet to be spoken