186 



DRESS OF THE LIMA LADIES. 



dare not approach^ and the appearance of up- 

 wards of a hundred or so of these figures with 

 their heads entirely covered with the black man- 

 to has a very gloomy effect^ which is not dimi- 

 nished by the sonibre silence which reigns 

 throughout the immense buildings for hours to- 

 gether unbroken^ save by the occasional move- 

 ments caused by some of these figures stalking 

 along the aisles^ either for the purpose of joining 

 the devotional groupe^ or departing from the 

 gloomy scene. 



In walking it is also very striking^ for they 

 are seldom accompanied by a gentleman^ and 

 never take the arm ; their march is very stately, 

 generally following each other in pairs, and with 

 only one eye just peeping out, although I have 

 used the comparison before, I never could meet 

 them without thinking of walking mummies. 



They have a very pretty custom at Lima of 

 presenting a stranger with a rose on his first 

 entering their houses, accompanied with the 

 Spanish compliment of ^^esta casa esta a su 



