NOTICES OF PERU. 



285 



travagant style of dress, and the tapddas or cyclop beauties 

 were numerous in every direction. The motley assemblage, 

 which we had seen in the street, now occupied the benches. 

 A busy hum of conversation arose continually from the multi- 

 tude ; and above it bawled the "dulcero," with his tray of 

 sweets, the " almendrero," with his comfits, the " caramelero," 

 with his bons-bons. Then the aguad&r,'^ with pitcher and 

 glass, cried ever and anon, " un vaso de agua" — a glass of water. 

 The segarrero," proclaimed <^segarros de mi amo, que los 

 hace bien" — my master's cigars, he makes them well. Occa- 

 sionally this fellow paused in his walk, and holding the fingers 

 of his right hand to his mouth for a moment, smacked his lips 

 as if tasting something delicious, and, bowing as he swept away 

 his hand, ejaculated in a tone horribly nasal, '^que cosa tan 

 rica !" — how exquisite ! Other negroes, with trays of square 

 packages of boiled corn, resembling homony, done up in plan- 

 tain leaf, were crying, ^^maiz bianco, bien caliente !" — white 

 corn, very hot ! 



In spite of the discordant hum, and out-of-time cries of those 

 fellows who sell trifling sweets and sugar plums to the crowd, 

 to amuse its excitement, (which must be spending itself on 

 something,) those in the arena appear perfectly calm and uncon- 

 cerned. The matad&res, and capead&res on foot, with their 

 red cloaks flung cai-elessly over one shoulder, so as to discover 

 the pink or green silk jacket, and bright yellow breeches, 

 trimmed with jaunty bows of gay ribbon, and with the hat set 

 knowingly on one side of the head, sauntered about the ring 

 smoking cigars. The rejonead&res and capead&res on horse- 

 back, armed with short spears, 



" In costly sheen and gaudy cloak array M," 



slowly walked their animals over the ground, or awaited pa- 

 tiently the commencement of the sport. The mayors of the 

 plaza, better mounted than the rest, occasionally dashed after 

 a half dozen ragged urchins, who were playing, and chasing 

 each other about the arena. 



At last the despejo" or clearing of the field commenced. 

 Part of a well dressed regiment entered the arena, headed by 



