254 RAIN PKOCESSION. 



stantial reason to anticipate a speedy fulfil 

 nient of their prophecies. When the fitting 



season draws nigh, they carry out the image 

 of Nuestra Sehora de Guadalupe, or that of 

 some other favorite saint, and parade about 

 the streets, the fields and the meadows, fol- 

 lowed by all the men, women, and children 

 of the neighborhood, in solemn procession. 

 Should the clouds condescend to vouchsafe 

 a supply of rain within a week or two of this 

 general humihation, no one ever thinks of be- 

 grudging the scores of dollars that have been 

 paid to the priests for bringing about so happy 

 a result. 



Speaking of processions, I am reminded of 

 another pecuUar custom so prevalent in Mexi- 

 co, that it never fails to attract the attention 

 of strangers. This is the passage of the Sa- 

 cred Host to the residence of persons danger- 

 ously ill, for the purpose of administering to 

 them the Extreme Unction. In New Mexi- 

 co, however, this procession is not attended 

 with so much ostentatious display as it is in 

 the South, the paradise of ecclesiastics, where 

 it is conveyed in a black coach drcnvn by a 

 pair of black mules, accompanied by armed 

 soldiers and followed by crowds of I'pei'os 

 of all sexes and ages. During the procession 

 of the Host, two church-beUs of different tones 

 are kept sounding by alternate strokes. Also 

 the carriage is always preceded by a beU-nian 

 tmkling a little bell in regular time, to notify 

 all within hearing of its approach, that they 



may be prepared to pay it due homage. MTi^i^ 



