3 8o 



RECREATION 



apa. "La Cuidad de la Flores," it takes 

 its name as much from its beautiful 

 women as from its profusion of or- 

 chids, growing in the public streets. 

 The belles of the city are wondrously 

 beautiful in their dark and graceful 

 fashion as they wave their fingers in 

 salute to their waiting admirers on the 

 curb. 



The Mexican is a dramatic fig- 

 ure. He may be a vaquero, a wealthy 



It is a picturesque sight, for all classes 

 are to be found in the procession. For 

 the most part the men wear the national 

 embroidered jacket and breeches of 

 leather, great cloth sombrero and high- 

 heeled boots or shoes, with ridiculously 

 pointed toes. The explanation of this 

 distressing custom must lie in the 

 equestrian traditions of the country. 

 At 4 o'clock the crowd begins to 

 line the sides of the Puerte de San 

 Francisc'o and other streets leading to 

 the Passeo, and wait for the carriages 

 which at this hour form in procession 

 and proceed at a slow and dignified 

 pace along a never varied route. They 

 are filled with the glowing beauties of 

 the mixed Spanish and Indian blood. 

 To see them in their highest perfec- 

 tion, they say one must journey to Jal- 



Milk 



Jingle of silver and clatter of hoofs 



hacicndado, a bank clerk or a shop- 

 keeper, but he wraps his zerape about 

 him and draws his sombrero down over 

 his eyes and regards you with an air 

 like that of the brigand. When 

 the band is playing soft airs from 

 Italian operas in the Alameda, and the 

 orange trees spread their amorous per- 

 fume, if you dare to look too curiously 

 beneath the reboso of a passing fair 

 one, you may learn how fierce a Mexi- 

 can man can appear. Mexico is a land 

 of lovers ; lovemaking is in the air, and 

 everywhere dusky lovers walk arm in 

 arm. You turn sudden corners, and 

 surprise hurried embraces. 



But the women of the Isthmus ! A 

 stranger visiting for the first time the 

 market place of Tehuantepec is aston- 

 ished at the beauty of the scene. On 

 all hands, keeping guard over their 

 wares, sit or stand the human butter- 

 flies, with great white wings. This 



