A PROCESSION. 297 



seen in all kinds of singular costumes, some of 

 them most laughable caricatures, and some even 

 wearing masks. Rockets and Chinese fire- 

 works saluted the rising sun, producing of 

 course, by daylight, no other effects than noise, 

 smoke, and confusion, while elegant equipages 

 rolled along the streets, scarcely able to make 

 their way through the crowd. At nine o'clock, 

 a royal salute thundered from the cannon of 

 the fortress ; and at twelve the procession began 

 to move, displaying a rather ludicrous mixture 

 of Spanish and Asiatic taste. I saw it from the 

 windows of a house on its route, which com- 

 manded a very extensive view of the line of 

 march. The cortege was led by the Chinese. 

 First came a body of twenty-four musicians, 

 some striking with ^ sticks upon large round 

 plates of copper, producing an effect not unlike 

 the jingling of bells, and others performing 

 most execrably upon instruments resembling 

 clarionets. The sound of the copper plates 

 was too confused to allow us to distinguish 

 either time or tune — points of no great conse- 

 quence perhaps ; the choir, at least, did not 

 trouble much about them. The musicians 

 o 5 



