FIESTAS OF THE CHURCH. 



69 



from the devout Senoras of the higher and richer class ; but I am told 

 that many a person impoverishes his family for years by paying the 

 expenses of one of these festivals. 



The fiestas in Tarma are generally celebrated with music, ringing of 

 bells, firing of rockets, and dances of Indians. A dozen vagabonds are 

 dressed in what is supposed to be the costume of the ancient Indians. 

 This consists of a red blanket hanging from one shoulder, and a white 

 one from the other, reaching nearly to the knee, and girded around the 

 waist ; the usual short blue breeches, with a white fringe at the knee ; 

 stockings of an indifferent color, and shoes or sandals of raw-hide, 

 gathered over the toes with a draw-string, and tied around the ankles. 

 The head-dress is a low crowned, broad-brimmed round hat, made of 

 wool, and surrounded with a circlet of dyed feathers of the ostrich. 

 Thus costumed, the party march through the streets, and stop every 

 now and then to execute a sort of dance to the melancholy and monot- 

 onous music of a reed pipe, accompanied by a rude flat drum — both in 

 the hands of the same performer. Each man has a stick or club, of 

 hard wood, and a very small wooden or hide shield, which he strikes 

 with the club at certain periods of the dance, making a low clattering 

 in time with the music. They have also small bells, called "cascabeles," 

 attached to the knees and feet, which jingle in the dance. They and 

 their company of Indians and Mestizos smell very badly on a near 

 approach. Connected with this there is a great deal of riot and drunk- 

 enness; and I felt annoyed that the church should patronize and 

 encourage so demoralizing a procedure. The secular clergy of Peru, 

 with a few honorable exceptions, have not a high character, if one is to 

 believe the stories told of them by their own countrymen ; and I had 

 occasion to observe that the educated young men, as well of Chili as 

 of Peru, generally spoke of them in terms of great contempt. I judge 

 that the case is different with the clergy of the monastic orders, particu- 

 larly the missionaries. Those I met with were evidently men of high 

 character; and to their zeal, energy, and ability, Peru owes the con- 

 quest of by far the largest and richest part of the republic. It happens, 

 unfortunately for the Peruvian character, that nearly all of these are 

 foreigners — generally Spaniards and Italians. 



June 7. — I suffered all day with violent pain in the head and limbs, 

 from the ride of yesterday. These Peruvian saddles, though good for 

 the beasts, and for riding up and down hill, stretch the legs so far apart 

 as for a long time to give the unaccustomed rider severe pains in the 

 muscles of the thighs ; and I had to ride a large portion of the distance 

 with my leg over the pommel, like a lady. 



