CARNIVALS IN MANY LANDS 233 



and bags of flour saluted me from every point of 

 vantage ; but these I did not much mind, as they 

 generally fell short, and the buckets of water could 

 only be emptied upon any one forgetful enough to 

 pass directly beneath a balcony, which I avoided. 

 Towards the end of the street the fire slackened some- 

 what, as the houses were without balconies, and here 

 I breathed a moment, deciding as to what course I 

 could most safely pursue to gain the post-office, as 

 I did not want to be soaked. The gauntlet I had 

 run had been severe, but wa not, I knew, of the 

 worst. 



Looking up, I beheld two isolated balconies oppo- 

 site each other, and the occupants some ladies whom 

 I knew were making signs to me to approach. I 

 did so, little suspecting treachery, for as one of them 

 laughingly engaged me in conversation the others, with- 

 out warning, shot out a bucketful of water, which, 

 had it struck me fairly, would have drenched me from 

 head to foot. This was too much. Even the sangre 

 fria of an Englishman was aroused, and I decided 

 on vengeance. Calling some of the boys who are 

 always about on these occasions with cloths full of 

 globos for sale, I purchased a large heap of ammuni- 

 tion and proceeded to wage a fearful war upon the 

 balconies at both sides of me, my volleys being hotly 

 replied to by the ladies. Taking careful aim, I suc- 

 ceeded in scarcely losing a shot, and had the satisfac- 

 tion of seeing the globos burst on my fair antagonists* 

 heads or limbs, soaking them to the skin. The street 

 ; was narrow, and buckets of Water, globos, and bags 

 of flour, from both sides, freely reached me, with the 

 effect that may be imagined ; but I waged the single- 



