Page:Life in Mexico vol 2.djvu/367

Rh higher class wore a dress of finer cotton with more embroidery, and a loose garment over all, resembling a priest's surplice, when the weather was cold. Among the men, the introduction of trowsers is Spanish—but they still wear the majtlatl, a broad belt, with the ends tied before and behind, and the tilmatli or tilma as they now call it, a sort of square short cloak, the ends of which are tied across the breast, or over one shoulder. It is on a coarse tilma of this description, that the image of the Virgin of Guadalupe was found painted.

Yesterday, being the festival of San Andres, the Indians were all in full costume and procession, and we went into the old church to see them. They were carrying the Saint in very fine robes, the women bearing colored flags and lighted tapers, and the men playing on violins, flutes, and drums. All had garlands of flowers to hang on the altars; and for these lights and ornaments, and silk and tinsel robes, they save up all their money. They were playing a pretty air, but I doubt its being original. It was not melancholy and monotonous, like the generality of Indian music, but had something wild and gay in it; it was probably Spanish. The organ was played by an Indian. After mass we went up stairs to try it, and wondered how, with such miserable means, he had produced anything like music. In the patio, between the curate's house and the church, are some very brilliant large scarlet flowers, which they call here "flor del pastor" the shepherd's flower; a beautiful kind of euphorbia; and in other places, "flor de noche buena" flower of Christmas eve.