354 



INCIDENTS OF TRAVEL. 



my hat. A fanatic fellow, with a scowl on his face, 

 cried out, " quittez el sombrero," take off your hat." 

 I answered by spurring my horse, and at the same mo- 

 ment the whole procession was thrown into confusion. 

 A woman darted from the line, and 'Hezoos sprang from 

 his horse and caught her in his arms, and hugged and 

 kissed her as much as decency in the public streets 

 would allow. To my great surprise, the woman Avas 

 only his cousin, and she told him that his wife, who was 

 the principal milliner in the place, was on before in the 

 procession. 'Hezoos was beside himself; ran back, re- 

 turned, caught his horse, and dragged the beast after 

 him ; then mounting and spurring, begged me to hurry 

 on and let him go back to his wife. Entering the town, 

 we passed a respectable-looking house, where four or 

 five well-dressed women were sitting on the piazza. 

 They screamed, 'Hezoos drove his mule up the steps, 

 and throwing himself off, embraced them all around. 

 After a few hurried words, he embraced them all over 

 again. Some male friends attempted to haul him off, 

 but he returned to the women. In fact, the poor fellow 

 seemed besfde himself, though I could not but observe 

 that there was method in his madness ; for, after two 

 rounds with the very respectable old ladies,' he aban- 

 doned them, and dragging forward a very pretty young 

 girl with his arms around her waist, and kissing her 

 every moment, told me she was the apprentice of his 

 wife ; and though at every kiss he asked her questions 

 about his wife, he did not wait for answers, ,and the 

 kisses were repeated faster than the questions. During 

 all this time I sat on my horse looking on. Doubtless 

 it was very pleasant for him, but I began to be impa- 

 tient ; seeing which, he tore himself away, mounted, 

 and, accompanied by half a dozen of his friends^ he 



