120 JOURNAL. 



is quick and light, and her grey eyes sparkle with intelligence. She 

 wears her silver hair, according to the custom of the country, un- 

 covered, and hanging down behind in one large braid ; her linen 

 shift is gathered up pretty high on her bosom, and its sleeves are 

 visible near the wrist : she has a petticoat of white woollen stuff, and 

 her gown of coloured woollen is like a close jacket, with a full-plaited 

 petticoat attached to it, and fastened with double buttons in front. 

 A rosary hangs round her neck, and she always wears the manto or 

 shawl, which others only put on when they go out of doors, or in 

 cold weather. The dress of the granddaughter is not very different 

 from that of a French woman, excepting that the manto supersedes 

 all hats, caps, capotes, and turbans. The young people, whether 

 they fasten up their tresses with combs, or let them hang down, are 

 fond of decorating them with natural flowers, and it is not uncom- 

 mon to see a rose or a jonquil stuck behind the ear or through the 

 earring. 



Having sat some time in the house, I accepted Joanita's proposal 

 to walk in the garden ; part of it was already planted with potatoes, 

 and part was ploughing for barley, to be cut as green meat for the 

 cattle. The plough is a very rude implement, suchas the Spaniards 

 brought it hither three hundred years ago ; a piece of knee timber, 

 shod at one end with a flat plate of iron, is the plough, into which 

 a long pole is fixed by means of wedges ; the pole is made fast to 

 the yoke of the oxen, who drag it over the ground so as to do little 

 more than scratch the surface.* As to a harrow, I have not seen or 

 heard of one. The usual substitute for it being a bundle of fresh 

 branches, which is dragged by a horse or ox, and if not heavy enough, 

 stones, or the weight of a man or two, is added. The pumpkins, 

 lettuces, and cabbages, are attended with more care : ridges being 

 formed for them either with the original wooden spades of the 

 country, or long-handled iron shovels upon the same plan. The 



* I recollect a bit of antique mosaic, I think, but am not sure, in the Villa Albani, near 

 Rome, representing just such a plough, and so yoked; the oxen are represented kickin", 

 as if stung by a gadfly. 



