n stained. A dark jacket, closely buttoned,
covered the upper part of his body, and a scarlet silk sash encircled
his waist, the long fringed ends hanging down over the left hip. In
this sash were stuck a Spanish knife and a pair of pistols, richly
ornamented with silver mountings. But all these things were concealed
from the view by a capacious poncho, which is a garment that in South
America serves as a cloak by day and a blanket by night. It is nearly
of the size and shape of an ordinary blanket, with a slit in the centre,
through which the head is passed, leaving the ends to hang down.
Instead of being of uniform colour, several bright colours are usually
woven into the poncho, forming a variety of patterns. In Mexico a very
similar garment--the scrape--is almost universally worn. The poncho of
Don Pablo was a costly one, woven by hand, and out of the finest wool of
the vicuna, for that is the native country of this useful and curious
animal. Such a poncho would cost 20 pounds, and would not only keep out
cold, but would turn rain like a "macintosh." Don Pablo's hat was also
curious and costly. It was one of those known as "Panama," or
"Guayaquil,"--hats so called because they are manufactured by Indian
tribes who dwell upon the Pacific coast, and are made out of a rare
sea-grass, which is found near the above-mentioned places. A good
Guayaquil hat will cost 20 pounds; and although, with its broad curling
brim and low crown, it looks not much better than Leghorn or even fine
straw, yet it is far superior to either, both as a protection against
rain, or, what is of more importance in southern countries, against a
hot tropical sun. The best of them will wear half a lifetime. Don
Pablo's "sombrero" was one of the very best and costliest; and this,
combined with the style of his other habiliments, betokened that the
wearer was one of the "ricos," or higher class of his country.

The costume of his wife, who was a dark and very beautiful Spanish
woman, would have strengthened this idea. She wore a dress of black
silk with velvet bodice and sleeves, tastefully embroidered. A mantilla
of dark cloth covered her shoulders, and on her head was a low
broad-brimmed hat, similar to those usually worn by men, for a bonnet is
a thing unknown to the ladies of Spanish America. A single glance at
the Dona Isidora would have satisfied any one that she was a lady of
rank and refinement.

There were two children, upon wh