CHAP. I.] BERMUDAS TO MADEIRA. 49 



girls, as soon as tliey can afford it, purchase, if they have not al- 

 ready inherited, a long, full, blue cloth cloak, coming down to 

 the heels, and terminating in an enormous hood, which projects, 

 wdien it is pulled forward, a foot at least before the face. The 

 cloak and hood are thus a complete disguise, for if the lower 

 part of the hood be held together by the hand — a very common 

 attitude, while the eyes can be used with perfect freedom — both 

 figure and face are entirely hidden. These cloaks and hoods 

 are very heavy and close, and it seems strange that such a fash- 

 ion can hold its ground where the conditions are very similar 

 to those in the extreme south of Spain or Italy. The head- 

 dress of the men is singular, but it has a more rational relation 

 to the exigencies of the climate. It is also made of dark-blue 

 cloth — a round cap with a long projecting peak, and a deep 

 curtain falling over the neck and shoulders, an excellent de- 

 fense whether from rain or sun. The odd thing about it is that 

 where the hat is made in the extreme of a by-gone " mode " 

 which still lingers in the remote parts of the island, the sides 

 of the peak are carried up on each side of the head into long 

 curved points, like horns. The horns are " going out," how- 

 ever, although a general festa, such as we were fortunate 

 enough to see, still brought many grotesque pairs of them into 

 the city. 



We saw the pro'^ession from the windows of the principal 

 hotel, which looked across a square to the church from which 

 it took its departure. The square and the streets below us 

 were, for hours before, one sea of carapugas and capotes, male 

 and female, but chiefly the latter, their wearers sitting on the 

 hot pavement, chattering quietly. About five o'clock a large 

 number of acolytes in scarlet tunics left the church, and formed 

 a double row, lining the streets in the path of the procession. 

 Then came a long double row of priests in violet chasubles and 

 stoles, repeating the responses to a portly brother, wdio led the 

 column, intoning from his breviary. Then a double row of 



II.— 4 



