482 THE NATIONAL HOLIDAYS. 



next came the ecclesiastical corporations ; then the faculties of the university and national 

 institute ; fourth, the governor and municipal authorities, with our party in their midst; fifth, 

 the foreign ministers ; and finally the President and his cabinet, himself in a richly embroidered 

 uniform as general, with the insignia of his civil office a broad tri-colored band, and similar 

 tinted plumes in his chapeau. 



On either side of the streets leading to the cathedral, and around the four sides of the great 

 square, the National Guard were drawn up to the number of 6,000 men ; their several bands 

 commencing the national hymn as the head of the column drew near. Except where the 

 lancers kept an open lane for us, the streets and plaza were occupied by a compact living mass ; 

 but there were neither "vivas" nor outward evidences of enthusiasm scarcely animation; 

 simply passive curiosity, from the high-born dames who occupied the balconies overhead, to the 

 unwashed loafers of the thoroughfares. We were received between lines of priests at the door 

 of the cathedral. The body of the edifice was already occupied by spectators. All the chan- 

 deliers over the choir, and the candelabras of the altars in the aisles, besides candles in infinite 

 number over and about the high altar, were lighted, producing a brilliant effect. On both 

 sides of the nave, from the centre of the church towards the choir, arm-chairs of crimson velvet 

 had been substituted for the benches usually there, each chair having before it a cushion of 

 down, covered also with silk velvet. These seats were occupied by the members of the procession, 

 that of the President being midway between our two lines and farthest from the altar. Closing 

 immediately in the rear of the procession was the company of cadets from the Military Academy, 

 who entered the cathedral, posting two guards on each side of his Excellency, and one on either side 

 of the chair nearest to the body of the church. As they were required to remain immovable on post, 

 it was necessary to relieve them every fifteen minutes ; and the sharp clang of the bayoneted mus- 

 ket in the midst of the rites, was no uninstructive subject of reflection on the religion of a country 

 claiming republicanism. The remainder of the company remained just at the door until wanted ; 

 but the side aisles and a portion of the nave beyond the special guests and officials were filled with 

 officers of the line and regiments of civic troops ; so that the assemblage was extremely showy. 

 Nor was beauty wanting to lend its charm. Many of the most superb women of Santiago were 

 present, probably deeming it of vital consequence to attend at the high mass of this morning. 

 Custom forbids the entrance of females into church with bonnets, or any other than black dresses ; 

 so that they are wholly dependent on their own charms ; but during the national holidays they 

 substitute costly black lace for the thick mantle usually worn, and exhibit no little taste as well 

 as display in their splendid missal a ring or bracelet being sometimes permitted to be seen in 

 even that sacred place. 



To describe the service of high mass may not easily be done by one uninitiated ; and I confess 

 myself wholly unable to speak of it with the reverence that it perhaps merits. A multitude 

 of priests in vari-formed and parti-colored robes, amid clouds of incense swelling from silver 

 censers, were in constant genuflexion as they passed with missals and vessels before the altar to the 

 archbishop or desks. Some of them wore a species of short gown of white muslin over a black 

 robe, for all the world like those so common in deshabille among the ladies of the United States. 

 These priests seemed to have little other employment than the conveyance of different articles of 

 dress, one by one, to and from the archbishop and altar. The vestments were borne on broad 

 silver salvers, were received by two old gentlemen in yellow silk embroidered robes, and occupied 

 in putting on and taking off from his right reverence quite as much time as either of the other por- 

 tions of the service. At one time I began to think the head of the church would be enveloped 

 to such an extent as to exclude a view of the altar, and was only relieved from apprehension when 

 they began stripping him again. This, with a few words of half-sung, half-drawled Latin, 

 a sermon from a toothless old canonigo which no one near us could hear a word of, and an 

 abundance of good music from two organs, made up the whole ceremony. At four different 

 times a deputation of priests, preceded by their usher, came from the altar- to perform a portion 

 of the rites over the President. First, to bless him ; and judging from the closed hands kept 



