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ago a few of them were still alive. I knew then the one which 

 could be called the patriarch (about one hundred years old), and 

 his wife ; they were good specimens of the race, or tribe. The 

 old man was short and square-built, with high cheek-bones, good 

 eyes, and straight, white hair. His wife bore a similar 

 appearance, and was borne down by the weight of years. Pas- 

 cual was always gay, and apparently satisfied with his lot ; he 

 was fond of spirits, and became drunk whenever an opportunity 

 was afforded. He was otherwise most honest and peaceable. 

 The old man had sold his conuco, and depended upon the padre, 

 or parish priest, for his maintenance. Two schools — one for boys 

 and another for girls — were once maintained for Indian children, 

 but the attendance was always very scanty. 



The village of Arima was formerly, and remained for a long 

 time, celebrated for its festival of Santa Rosa, the patron saint of 

 the mission. On that day the Indians elected their king and 

 queen — in general, a young man and young girl — and all 

 appeared in their best apparel and most gaudy ornaments. The 

 interior of the church was hung with the produce of their in- 

 dustry — bunches of plantains, cassava cakes, and the fruits of the 

 season ; game of various descriptions, coincos, lapas, parrots, &c, 

 and draperied with the graceful leaves of the palm-tree. After 

 mass they performed ceremonial dances in the church, and then 

 proceeded to the Casa real, or royal house, to pay their compli- 

 ments to the corregidor, who gave the signal for dancing and 

 various sports — among others that of archery — in which the men 

 exercised themselves until a prize was adjudged to the best marks- 

 man. People from all parts of the country would resort to Arima 

 for the purpose of witnessing the festivities, which were in- 

 variably attended by the Governor and staff. Sir Ralph Wood- 

 ford, in particular, always took the greatest interest in the 

 mission, and every year would distribute prizes to the children of 

 both sexes who deserved them by their good behaviour, and their 

 improvement at school. Santa Rosa's day was really a gay anni- 

 versary, at which the poor Indians, the simple children of yore, 

 were, for the time, the principal actors, and during which they 

 forgot both the loss of their heritage and their own individual 

 serfdom. 



The 30th of August is a holiday still, but bears quite a dif- 

 ferent character. People still crowd to the village from different 



