SIX MONTHS IN MEXICO. 



199 



four hundred women, each wearing over their 

 usual dresses a manga of white cotton, of 

 their own manufacture, uniformly embroi- 

 dered with green and crimson wool, and hav- 

 ing their fine shining black hair braided, 

 with red tape, into two long tresses, which 

 fell over their shoulders almost to the ground. 

 They marched four abreast, in a steady 

 solemn manner, each bearing a lighted wax 

 candle ; followed by a strong band of mu- 

 sicians, consisting entirely of wind instru- 

 ments. After these came the men, in regular 

 order, followed by the statue of the Virgin, 

 and several of the clergy, the whole closed 

 by another band of music, principally violins; 

 and on each side of the procession, at regular 

 distances, were children carrying baskets of 

 flowers. Having made the circuit of the 

 town, they returned to the church, when the 

 fire-works were displayed, and a general dis- 

 charge of rockets announced the close of the 



