MARGARltA. 6-j 



and steps leading up fr«m outside to the belfry. Inside 

 it is symmetrical and substantial, with many altars, 

 the most famous of which is of course that of the 

 miraculous virgin, to whose shrine great pilgrimages are 

 made ; her dress is simply covered with the richest of 

 pearls. That reminds one that if Margarita is not the 

 Pearl of the Antilles it is the Antille of Pearls (many 

 persons may not be aware that this island is counted as 

 one of the Antilles) and although time and perhaps the 

 elements have depreciated the value of the pearl beds, 

 it is likely that they helped to keep up the Spanish 

 magnificence 200 years ago. Besides the Saints proper 

 there is a sort of miscellaneous colIe6lion ; it occurred to 

 me that they must have taken shelter here from the 

 abandoned churches, but an intelligent little boy who 

 accompanied me said it was not so, some even were 

 home made ; " they made a great show at processic ns" he 

 said, otherwise they remained, hidden each locked up in 

 his own little cupboard. There was al. o a very funny 

 organ, I did not think it was intended to play but I found 

 it rolled out good old Gregorian music the next morning at 

 Mass. I regretted much that time did not permit a 

 fuller examination of the many antique brasses and fres- 

 coes of this rare old church. Another of the old churches 

 is utilised as a College and the others are most pi6luresque 

 ruins. Besides the churches there are the ruins of the 

 old Spanish Theatre, Governor's Palace, etc. The streets 

 are narrow and paved, the squares full of fruit trees and 

 in fair order. Bordering the town is a deep ravine 

 with a fine stone bridge and a pretty stream at the 

 bottom, on each side of the stream a fine cultivation of 

 cocoanuts, iruits, bananas etc., with water trickling every 



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