939 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 Nnuiioa, 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 Nnufioa to the greatest advantage. 
Dofia Mariquita and I, with two or three others, among whom was 
Dofia 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 
