210 



SIX MONTHS IN MEXICO. 



carriages that the ladies appear in public, and 

 very seldom on horseback. 



The dress of the country gentlemen, or 

 paysanas, is showy and expensive ; and, when 

 mounted on their handsome and spirited little 

 horses, they make an elegant appearance. The 

 lower dress consists of embroidered breeches, 

 chiefly of coloured leather, open at the knees, 

 and ornamented with numbers of round silver 

 buttons, and broad silver lace; a worked 

 shirt, with high collar ; and a short jacket, of 

 printed calico, over which is generally thrown 

 an elegant manga or cloak, of velvet, fine 

 cloth, or fine figured cotton, the manufacture 

 of the country : — these are often embroidered, 

 or covered with a profusion of gold lace. On 

 the feet are soft leather shoes or boots, over 

 which is tied a kind of gaiter, peculiar to the 

 country; they are commonly of cinnamon- 

 coloured leather, wrapped round the leg, and 



