TOILET AND RECREATIONS. Ill 



casion. Liformed of the 'ordeal' they had to 

 pass, they had spent the previous morning in 

 * rubbing up ;' and now they were prepared, 

 with clean faces, sleek combed hair, and their 

 choicest Sunday suit, to meet the ' fair eyes ' 

 of glistening black that were sure to stare at 

 them as they passed. There was yet another 

 preparation to be made in order to ' show off' 

 to advantage. Each wagoner must tie a bran 

 new ' cracker' to the lash of his whip ; for, on 

 driving through the streets and \]ie j^hza puh- 

 lica, every one strives to out\ie liis comrades 

 in the dexterity with which he flourishes this 

 favorite badge of his authority. 



Our wagons were soon discharged in the 

 ware-rooms of the Custom-house ; and a few 

 days' leisure being now at our disposal, we 

 had time to take that recreation which a fa- 

 tiguing journey of ten weeks had rendered so 

 necessary. The wagoners, and many of the 

 traders, particularly the novices, flocked to the 

 numerous fandangoes, which are regularly 

 kept up after the arrival of a caravan. Bat 

 the merchants generally were anxiously and 

 actively engaged in their affairs — striving who 

 should first get his goods out of the custom- 

 house, and obtain a chance at the ' hard chink' 

 of the numerous country dealers, who annu- 

 ally resort to the Capital on these occasions. 



Now comes the harvest for those idle in- 

 terpreters, who make a business of ' passing 

 goods,' as they term it; for as but a small por- 

 tion of the traders are able to write the Span- 

 ish language, they are obliged to employ 



