302 



THREE YEARS IN THE PACIFIC. 



all the negresses, was frizzed out at each side, and sprinkled 

 with jasmine and amancaes, and a high crowned Guayaquil hat 

 sat square on the head. Her companion in the dance wore full 

 bottomed cinnamon color breeches, open at the knee, with 

 silver buttons, over white stockings and drawers, seen at the 

 opening embroidered in a gay pattern, a white jacket, so short 

 as to show his shirt between its bottom and the waistband of 

 his bragas. He wore also a high crowned Guayaquil hat. He 

 was rather advanced in years, his skin was black as ebony, 

 and his face was rather thin. Both were smoking and shining 

 in the true African gloss. The figure consisted in advancing 

 and retreating from each other, in a short shuffle in time to the 

 music, and occasionally performing some most lascivious move- 

 ments, to the great gratification of the lookers on. 



While these were dancing, those standing round were drink- 

 ing pisco, and talking and laughing in the gayest manner. 



Thei-e are two other dances of a similar character, called el 

 chocolate and el zapateo, only differing in the accompanying 

 song. Though lascivious and vulgar in the eyes of Europeans, 

 these dances are performed, (with some modification, how- 

 ever,) at the public balls and tertdiias. Manners and vulgarity 

 are conventional in every country, and those of one should not 

 be set up as the criteria of those of another; a Frenchman will 

 pick his teeth with his fork, and wipe his lips on the table 

 cloth, which with us is considered a departure from good 

 breeding. We should not, therefore, condemn any custom.s, 

 however revolting, unless we find them intrinsically immoral, 

 whatever may be our opinion of correct taste in these matters. 



Towards sunset, the crowd began to move towards the city. 

 The hilarity was increased, and many were sufficiently ine- 

 briated to be thrown from their animals, with great sangfroid 

 passing all off as a joke. The serious cast of countenance pre- 

 served by the ladies and cavaliers, was curiously contrasted 

 with the boisterous mirth of the vulgar mob, as the whole re- 

 turned towards the city loaded with bouquets of the amancaes. 



Amancaes is not only visited on the day of St. John. During 

 the whole season, from St. John's day till the close of Septem- 

 ber, in which the flowers are in bloom, the valley is resorted 



