232 JOURNAL. 



vants and provisions were in another, thatched at the top exactly like 

 a cottage. The whole party was collected in the pateo of the Casa 

 Cotapos, and set off by nine o'clock, as gay as youth, health, and a 

 resolution to be pleased, could make them. I should say us ; for, at 

 least in the resolution to be pleased, I equalled the rest. 



After a short pleasant ride of about five miles to the eastward, we 

 reached Nnuhoa, a pleasant village, where the bishop has a seat, and 

 where, a chacra having been lent us for the purpose, we spent a most 

 agreeable day. The place is exceedingly pretty, being full of gardens 

 and orchards, and surrounded by corn-fields ; and the rich back- 

 ground of mountains on every side, especially the cold snowy Andes, 

 set off the flowery fields of Nnuhoa to the greatest advantage. 



Dona Mariquita and I, with two or three others, among whom was 

 Doha Mariquita's father, Don Jose Miguel de Cotapos, a most gen- 

 tlemanlike old man, in his poncho of plain Vicunha wool of the 

 natural colour, and his broad hat, his silver-mounted bridle, stirrups, 

 &c, rode off to a casita about two leagues farther on. — I should 

 have described our party. Don Jose Miguel was not the only man in 

 a poncho, or rather few went without, though several of the young 

 men had tied theirs round their waists, instead of wearing them over 

 their shoulders. Most had Chileno saddles, with all manner of car- 

 pets and skins upon them. All the ladies had English saddles ; the 

 greater number of female riders had coloured spencers, and long white 

 skirts with close bonnets and flowers ; two had small opera-hats and 

 feathers, and beautiful silk dresses : only my maid and I had sober 

 riding-habits. We looked like some gay cavalcade in a fairy tale, 

 rather than people going to ride soberly on the earth ; and I was 

 sorry that I could not sketch the figures. Here Mariquita in scarlet 

 and .white, and a becoming black beaver bonnet; there Rosario with 

 a brown spencer, flowing white skirt, straw bonnet, and roses not so 

 gay as her cheeks ; then Mercedes Godoy and another Mercedes, 

 with feathers gracefully waving in the wind, reining up their managed 

 horses, and their silks glittering in the sun : and by their sides the 

 merry Erreda with his green frock ; Jose Antonio with his poncho 



