RELIGIOUS PROCESSION. 



57 



no soldiers in the fire? at which a polite fat padre laughed, as if he did 

 not consider the subject in -a serious light. In one corner of a filthy- 

 room, near a closet, a robed priest was standing with a small book in one 

 hand, and a large loaf of bread in the other. He looked ashamed as he 

 saluted us with his mouth full. Among the flowers cultivated in the 

 area were a number of priests apparently in deep study, while one of 

 them was mending a hole in his breeches. 



After a long continued drought, the sugar plants, maize, and potatoe 

 crops suffer for want of rain. On Sunday, August 31st, the prefect in- 

 vited us to walk in procession ; a company of soldiers, and band of music 

 in front ; the college boys, with cocked hats, and their happy -looking pre- 

 sident, were ready ; the prefect appeared in full uniform. We marched 

 to the cathedral, which, with the main plaza, were filled with people. 

 On entering, no seats had been provided, and the prefect spoke sharply 

 to one of the priests. Three images, of full size, were raised on plat- 

 forms on the heads of men ; the music commenced, and we followed 

 through the city. The Indians, who crowded from the surrounding 

 country, seemed very much interested, but it was wood-work to some of 

 us ; with hats in hand we pushed through. 



We halted in a narrow street, to allow another procession to pass, 

 similar to ours, except that it had a more interesting mixture of pretty 

 women. An image, borne on the heads of men, was called " El P&triarca 

 San Jose," followed by a number of priests and women singing. After 

 them a female figure, richly mounted with silver, dressed in a costly 

 brown silk dress, trimmed with gold, and spangled with silver. Her 

 black hair was hanging gracefully at length over her shoulders, and in 

 her arms she held an infant. We followed "Nuestra Seflora de Belen" 

 to the cathedral. The bells announced her arrival, and the population 

 knelt in prayer. 



Nuestra Seiiora was carried before the altar ; those under the front 

 part of the platform knelt and rose three times, while the men behind 

 stood still, which made her appear as though bowing. When the In- 

 dians shouted and cried, the women became much excited, and their little 

 children shed tears and screamed with all their might ; even the Indian 

 men wept ; a perfect shower of tears was produced. Their prayer to 

 God, through Nuestra Seriora de Belen was to send rain for their perish- 

 ing crops in the country around. 



Soon after the conquest, the fishermen of the bay of Callao picked up 

 a box, and upon opening it they found Nuestra Seriora de Belen and 

 her child, with a letter, wherein it was written, she was intended for 

 the " City of the Kings •" Lima was Pizarro's name for the city of the 



