TO LA MAGDALENA. 
431 
not do here. Senor Gonzales agreed to furnish the 
mules I wanted, but could not do so under a week or 
ten days. I accordingly gave him an order to procure 
for me ten pack and four riding mules, sundry pack- 
saddles, etc., which were to be delivered me on my 
return from Ures. 
In the afternoon, services were performed over the 
figure of San Francisco, preparatory to its being car- 
ried through the streets in grand procession. As soon 
as the sun had set, the eight bells commenced a merry 
peal, the church was illuminated, and the procession 
formed. The figure was brought forth on a platform, 
or bier, over which was a canopy of crimson satin ; 
and two lines were formed extending across the plaza, 
each individual bearing a lighted wax-candle in his 
hand. I estimated the number in the procession car- 
rying these candles at twelve hundred. A band of 
music led the way, followed by boys and men swing- 
ing censers of incense. Next came the Saint immedi- 
ately preceded by a priest ; and a crowd of women 
carrying lighted candles followed, constituting the 
main body of the procession. Innumerable small 
rockets were thrown up by the populace, which flew 
about in all directions, and fell among the crowd. 
Muskets too were fired by such as had them from the 
streets and the house-tops, as the procession passed 
along. On the whole, the noise and confusion re- 
minded us of the celebration of the 4th of July, and 
seemed to exhibit quite as little devotional feeling as 
that day brings forth among us. It was one continual 
scene of amusement and hilarity from the begining to 
the end. After marching across the plaza and through 
