52 



THREE YEARS IN THE PACIFIC. 



CHAPTER VL 



A walk — A ride — A dinner party. 



On Sunday morning I strolled about the city with a friend. 

 Towards point Gloria, and in front of a large building once oc- 

 cupied as a royal residence, is a garden, or rather park. Large 

 trees of many varieties, amongst which are mangoes and aca- 

 cias, shade the alleys and walks which lead through parterres 

 and beds of flowers. I visited this place frequently, because I 

 thought it a promenade for ladies, but I have found that no- 

 body resorts there, save a few old men and priests. After 

 viewing the bay from the wall, which is washed by the waves, 

 and examining a bronze fountain which is now dry, we walked 

 to where the aqueduct, elevated on arches, passes into the city. 

 Near it was a crowd of negroes of both sexes, standing half leg 

 deep, washing. The lower limbs were bare to the hips, and 

 their dress tucked up in such a manner as to give it the appear- 

 ance of a pair of short breeches. The clothes were spread 

 about on the banks of this drain for the benefit of the sun. 

 Pieces of wardrobe were undergoing the lavatory process by 

 being beaten with good will between two stones — an excellent 

 test of the strength of the fabric, and which saves the hands 

 quite as well as our best constructed washing machines. The 

 operators were very gay. Their chattering seemed ceaseless ; 

 yet its monotony was relieved occasionally by little bickerings 

 and contentions, which arose from slight encroachments, made 

 by one or another on what was conceived to be, by priority of 

 possession, the spot or pounding stone of some one indivi- 

 dual. These advantages of location are not unimportant ; the 

 water is much clearer and in greater abundance in some places 

 than in others. These disputes sometimes led to blows, and 

 then some worthy master's linen was applied very unceremo- 

 niously about the ears of the contending parties. The wenches 

 generally came off victorious, much to the amusepaent of the 



