The White Chief: A Legend of Northern Mexico

by Mayne Reid

  CHAPTER TWO.

  Perhaps in no country has religion so many devoted days as in Mexico.The "fiestas" are supposed to have a good effect in Christianising thenatives, and the saints' calendar has been considerably enlarged in thatpseudo-holy land. Nearly every week supplies a festival, with all itsmummery of banners, and processions, and priests dressed as if for thealtar-scene in "Pizarro," and squibs, and fireworks, and silly citizenskneeling in the dust, and hats off all round. Very much like a LondonGuy-Fawkes procession is the whole affair, and of about like influenceupon the morals of the community.

  Of course the _padres_ do not get up these ceremonial exhibitions formere amusement--not they. There are various little "blessings," and"indultos," and sprinklings of sacred water, to be distributed on theseoccasions--not _gratuitously_--and the wretched believer is preciously"plucked" while he is in the penitent mood--at the same time he ispromised a short and easy route to heaven.

  As to any solemnity in the character of the ceremonials, there isnothing of the sort. They are in reality days of amusement; and it isnot uncommon to see the kneeling devotee struggling to keep down thecackle of his fighting-cock, which, full-galved, he carries under thefolds of his _serape_! All this under the roof of the sacred temple ofGod!

  On days of fiesta, the church genuflexions are soon over; and then thegambling-booth, the race-course, bull-baiting, the cock-pit, and variousminor amusements, come into full operation. In all these you may meetthe robed priest of the morning, and stake your dollar or doubloonagainst his, if you feel so inclined.

  "San Juan" is one of the "_fiestas principales_"--one of the most notedof Mexican ceremonials. On this day--particularly in a _New_ Mexicanvillage--the houses are completely deserted. All people turn out, andproceed to some well-known locality, usually a neighbouring plain, towitness the sports--which consist of horse-racing, "tailing the bull,""running the cock," and the like. The intervals are filled up bygambling, smoking, and flirtation.

  There is much of republican equality exhibited on these occasions. Richand poor, high and low, mingle in the throng, and take part in theamusements of the day.

  It is the day of San Juan. A broad grassy plain lies just outside thetown of San Ildefonso, and upon this the citizens are assembled. It isthe scene of the festival, and the sports will soon begin. Before theydo, let us stroll through the crowd, and note its component parts. Allclasses of the community--in fact, all the community--appear to bepresent. There go the two stout _padres_ of the mission, bustling aboutin their long gowns of coarse serge, with bead-string and crucifixdangling to their knees, and scalp-lock close shaven. The Apache willfind no trophy on their crowns.

  There is the _cura_ of the town church, conspicuous in his long blackcloak, shovel hat, black silk stockings, pumps, and buckles. Nowsmiling benignly upon the crowd, now darting quick Jesuitical glancefrom his dark ill-meaning eyes, and now playing off his white jewelledfingers, as he assists some newly-arrived "senora" to climb to her seat.Great "ladies' men" are these same black-gowned bachelor-churchmen ofMexico.

  We have arrived in front of several rows of seats raised above oneanother. Let us observe who occupy them. At a glance it is apparentthey are in possession of the "_familias principales_," the aristocracyof the settlement. Yes--there is the rich "_comerciante_," Don JoseRincon, his fat wife, and four fat sleepy-looking daughters. There,too, is the wife and family of the "Alcalde," and this magistratehimself with tasselled official staff; and the Echevarrias--prettycreatures that they think themselves--under care of their brother, thebeau, who has discarded the national costume for the _mode de Paris_!There is the rich "_hacendado_," Senor Gomez del Monte, the owner ofcountless flocks and broad acres in the valley; and there are others ofhis class with their senoras and senoritas. And there, too, observed ofall, is the lovely Catalina de Cruces, the daughter of Don Ambrosio, thewealthy miner. He will be a lucky fellow who wins the smiles ofCatalina, or rather perhaps the good graces of her father--for DonAmbrosio will have much to say in the matter of her marriage. Indeed,it is rumoured that that matter is already arranged; and that CaptainRoblado, second in command at the Presidio, is the successful suitor.There stands he, in full moustache, covered with gold-lace, back andfront, and frowning fiercely on every one who dares to rest eye for amoment upon the fair Catalina. With all his gold-lace and gallantstrut, Catalina displays no great taste in her choice;--but is he herchoice? Maybe not--maybe he is the choice of Don Ambrosio; who, himselfof plebeian origin, is ambitious that his blood should be mingled withthat of the military hidalgo. The soldier has no money--beyond his pay;and that is mortgaged for months in advance; but he is a true_Gachupino_, of "blue blood," a genuine "hijo de algo." Not a singularambition of the old miser, nor uncommon among parvenus.

  Vizcarra, the Comandante, is on the ground--a tall colonel of forty--laced and plumed like a peacock. A lively bachelor is he; and whilechatting with padre, cura, or alcalde, his eye wanders to the faces ofthe pretty _poblanas_ that are passing the spot. These regard hissplendid uniform with astonishment, which he, fancying himself "Don JuanTenorio," mistakes for admiration, and repays with a bland smile.

  There, too, is the third officer--there are but the three--the_teniente_, Garcia by name. He is better looking, and consequently moreof a favourite with both poblanas and rich senoritas, than either of hissuperiors. I wonder the fair Catalina does not give her preference tohim. Who can tell that she does not? A Mexican dame does not carry hersoul upon her sleeve, nor upon her tongue neither.

  It would be a task to tell of whom Catalina is thinking just now. It isnot likely at her age--she is twenty--that her heart is still her own;but whose? Roblado's? I would wager, no. Garcia's? That would be afairer bet. After all, there are many others--young "hacendados,"employes of the mines, and a few merchant dandies of the town. Herchoice may be some one of these. _Quien sabe_?

  Let us on through the crowd!

  We see the soldiers of the garrison, with tinkling spurs and longtrailing sabres, mingling fraternally with the serape-clad tradesmen,the _gambucinos_, and _rancheros_ of the valley. They imitate theirofficers in strut and swagger--the very character of which enables oneto tell that the military power is here in the ascendant. They are alldragoons--infantry would not avail against an Indian enemy--and theyfancy that the loud clinking of their spurs, and the rattle of theirsteel scabbards, add greatly to their importance. They have their eyesafter the poblanas, and the sweethearts of the poblanas keep their eyesafter them in a constant vigil of jealousy.

  The "poblanas" are the pretty girls of the place; but, pretty or plain,all the girls are out to-day in their best and gayest apparel. Somewear _enaguas_ of blue--others of scarlet--others of purple; and many ofthem tastefully flounced at the bottoms with a trimming of narrow lace.They wear the embroidered chemisette, with its snow-white frills, andthe blueish _reboso_, gracefully arranged, so as to conceal neck, bosom,arms, and, in some cases of coquetry, even the face! Ere night thisjealous garment will have lost half its prudery. Already the prettierfaces peep forth; and you may see, from the softness of the complexion,that they have been just washed free of the "allegria" that for the lasttwo weeks has rendered them hideous.

  The "rancheros" are in their full and beautiful costume--velveteentrousers, wide at the bottoms and open up the sides; _botas_ ofunstained leather; jackets of tanned sheepskin; or velveteen richlyembroidered; fancy-worked shirts underneath; and scarfs of rich red silkaround the waist. Over all the broad-brimmed _sombrero_, of blackglaze, with silver or gold band, and tags of the same, screwed into thecrown. Some have no jacket, but the serape, hanging negligently fromtheir shoulders, serves in place of one. All of these men have horseswith them; and on their feet may be seen spurs full five pounds inweight, with rowels three, four, and even five inches in diameter!

  The "gambucinos," and young men of the town, the smaller tradespeople,are very similarly attired; but those of higher class--the officials and"comerciantes
"--are clad in broad-cloth jackets and pantaloons, notexactly of European cut, but approaching it--a sort of compromisebetween Paris fashions and the native costume of the country.

  Another costume may be noticed, worn by many of the crowd. This is thedress of the native "Pueblos", or _Indios mansos_--the poor labourers ofthe mines, and the neophytes of the mission. It is a simple dress, andconsists of an upper garment, the _tilma_, a sort of coat withoutsleeves. A coffee-sack with a hole ripped in the bottom for the head topass through, and a slit cut in each side for the arms, would make the"tilma." It has no waist, and hangs nearly to the hips without otherfastening than the support at the shoulders. The tilma is usually apiece of coarse rug--a cheap woollen cloth of the country, called"gerga," of a whitish colour, with a few dyed threads to give thesemblance of a pattern. This with a pair of dressed sheepskin breechesand rude sandals--_guaraches_--constitutes the wear of most of the"Indios mansos" of Mexico. The head is bare; and the legs, from theknee to the ankle, shine forth in all their copper-coloured nakedness.

  Of these dark aborigines--the "peons" of the mission and the mines--there are hundreds stalking about, while their wives and daughters sitsquatted upon the ground in rear of their _petates_; upon which arepiled the fruits of the soil--the _tunas, petahayas_, plums, apricots,grapes, _sandias_, and other species of melons, with roasted nuts of thepinon-tree, the produce of the neighbouring mountains. Others keepstands of _dulces_ and _agua-miel_ or _limonada_; while others sellsmall loaves--_piloncilios_--of corn-stalk sugar, or baked roots of theagave. Some squat before fires, and prepare _tortillas_ and _chileColorado_; or melt the sugared chocolate cake in their urn-like earthen_ollas_. From these humble "hucksters," a hot peppery stew, a dish of_atole_, or a bowl of _pinole_, is to be had for a few _clacos_. Thereare other stands where you can buy cigarillos of _punche_, or a drink ofthe fiery _aguardiente_ from Taos or El Paso; and these stands arefavourite resorts of the thirsty miners and soldiers. There are no"booths," but most of the hucksters protect themselves from the sun by ahuge screen of palmetto mat (_petate_) placed umbrella-like over theirheads.

  There is one class of persons yet to be spoken of--an important class atthe festival of San Juan--they who are to be competitors in the sports--the real wrestlers in the games.

  These are young men of all grades in society, and all of them mounted--of course, each in the best way he can. There they go, prancing overthe ground, causing their gaily caparisoned steeds to caper and curvet,especially in front of the tiers of seated senoritas. There are minersamong them, and young _hacendados_, and _rancheros_, and _vaqueros_, and_ciboleros_, and young merchants who ride well. Every one rides well inMexico--even the dwellers in cities are good horsemen.

  Nearly a hundred are there of these youths who intend to take part inthe various trials of skill in equitation.

  Let the sports begin!