In the evening I visited the church again, when I witnessed the ceremony of consecrating ribbons. The space around the image was crowded as in the morning with devotees, each provided with a piece of ribbon. The mode of consecrating it depended upon the ailment of the applicant. If he or she had a pain in the head, the ribbon was passed several times across the forehead of the figure by the officiating Franciscans. If blind, the ribbon was passed across the eyes; if lame, or afflicted with rheumatism, it was passed over the arms or legs; and in many instances I saw it drawn between the toes of the Saint. Had some of our turtle-fed aldermen been the applicants for the latter process, one might have believed it to be for the gout; but I fancy that a diet of frijoles and tortillas does not often engender that disease in Mexico. Some of the worshippers were provided with long pieces of ribbon, which they applied in turn to every part, a knot being tied after each application, making, probably, as one of the gentlemen observed, "a sort of family medicine chest." The faith of the people in this thing of wood and paint is astonishing. An old man told us with the utmost seriousness, that last May, when the cholera visited the place, and was cutting off twenty a day, they had only to bring the image into the street, and the disease at once disappeared. He was asked what he would have thought if the disease continued. He replied, "That it was the will of the Saint, and we must submit."

In our rambles, we dropped into an attractivelooking shop to make inquiries about such provisions as we required. The proprietor, Señor Gonzales, was

a native Castilian, which we soon perceived by the purity of his language. He at once recognized us as Americans; and after answering our inquiries, invited us into an inner apartment, furnished very handsomely, and in good taste. One of the first things I noticed here was an American rocking chair-an article of luxury better adapted, one would suppose, to the quiet habits of the Mexicans, with their fondness for a siesta during the heat of the day, than to those of restless Yankees. Wine and other refreshments were offered us; and an hour was agreeably spent in conversation with our new acquaintance. He gave us much information about the country, and the ceremonies we had just witnessed. While there, several strangers, also gentlemen of education and respectability, came in; and finding who we were, and of what we were in pursuit, they gave us such information as we required, and tendered us their services. I regretted to learn that we could not procure the provisions we needed; but it was expected that the fair would bring many mules into market, so that in a few days we could obtain all that we wanted.

In the evening we walked about the town, and among the booths, which were arranged on every side of the plaza, and along the principal streets. They seemed much like those which it was customary to erect in New-York on the Fourth of July. Cakes of various kinds, tortillas, fruits, and aguardiente, were the staple articles; but while there were booths entirely appropriated to the sale of this intoxicating liquor, I do not remember to have seen a single drunken man. In the midst of these booths was a large

So,

inclosure, covered with the boughs of trees, beneath which some hundreds were assembled, and engaged in dancing. An enormous bass drum, which was heard above all other sounds, a couple of violins, and a clarionet, ground out waltzes and polkas, while the beaux were swinging round the señoritas in a manner that would astonish our dancing community. Notwithstanding the crowd here assembled, most of whom were strangers to each other, the most perfect order was kept. The Mexican people are ardently devoted to dancing; and when they once enter into it, they do not cease until the sun appears the following day. Some of our party who were given to this amusement thought they would like to take a few turns. casting a glance along the line of dark-eyed damsels who occupied the benches, and selecting the most attractive, they advanced without any introduction, led them into the arena, and at once joined in the merry whirl. A perpetual fandango was thus kept up day and night; where people of all sorts, sizes, and conditions might be seen twirling to the slow measure of the Spanish reel, or the more active waltz and polka. But gambling, after all, seemed to predominate. Whole ranges of booths were devoted to this exciting amusement; and crowds of every age, sex, and class were assembled about them. Boys and girls of six and eight years of age laid down their coppers, and men their reals and dollars; while at other tables the more wealthy and aristocratic ventured their Some of the tables were attended by women, selected, not on account of their personal beauty, but for their expertness in shuffling the cards.

ounces.

October 3d. Accompanied Mr. Pratt to the hills opposite our camp, to take some sketches. The hills were separated from the camp by the river, on the banks of which were some hundreds of men and women bathing or washing. A few cotton-wood trees grew along the valley; and the margin of the stream was lined with willow-bushes. The hills here are about five hundred feet high; and from them we had a fine view of the town and adjacent plain, which was inclosed towards the south by a high range of mountains. The hill where we stood was literally covered with cacti of every variety that we had seen, from tiny plants not longer than one's thumb, just projecting from some crevice, to the giant cereus, that shot up to the height of fifty feet. The agave, yucca, fouquiera, Spanish bayonet, mezquit, and other plants, alike grew in profusion around us.

In the evening we again visited the church, where the same scenes were going on as before described. It was now brilliantly illuminated, and a procession was marching through the crowd, each individual in it holding a lighted candle in his hand. The music was performed by a circus band, from Hermosillo, which played the same pieces for the interludes of the service as it did for the performances of evening. Some of our popular Ethiopian melodies occasionally greeted the ear.

October 4th. Finding it impossible to obtain provisions here, I determined to go to Ures, the Capital of the State of Sonora, about ninety miles distant, for the purpose of procuring what we needed, and of negotiating my drafts on the government, which I could