68 



MENDOZA. 



aisle of a church or cathedral, and the scene re- 

 sembled the deserted streets of Pompeii. 



In passing some of the houses I often heard, 

 people snoring, and when the siesta was over, I 

 was often much amused at seeing the people awaken, 

 for there is infinitely more truth and pleasure in 

 thus looking behind the scenes of private life, than 

 in making formal observations on man when dressed 

 and prepared for his public performance. The 

 people generally lie on the ground or floor of the 

 room, and the group is often amusing. 



I saw one day an old man (who was one of the 

 principal people in the town) fast asleep and happy. 

 The old woman his wife was awake, and was sitting 

 up in easy dishabille scratching herself, while her 

 daughter, who was a very pretty-looking girl of 

 about seventeen, was also awake, but was lying on 

 her side kissing a cat. 



In the evening the scene begins to revive. The 

 shops are opened ; a number of loads of grass are 

 seen walking about the streets, for the horse that is 

 carrying them is completely hid. Behind the load 

 a boy stands on the extremity of the back ; and to 

 mount and dismount he climbs up by the animaFs 



