avoid them. Presently there
came by first some men holding up a rich silken canopy, under which
walked a priest in magnificent robes all gold and silver, and he had
something in his hand; and as soon as the people saw him, whites and
blacks alike fell down on their knees and worshipped him, or rather, as
we were afterwards told, what he carried in his hands, which was the
host. This is a wafer and some wine, which the people believe is turned
into the real body and blood of Christ. After him came a number of
people with masks on their faces, and large cloaks on, so that they
could not be known, bearing on their shoulders a huge figure of the
Virgin Mary, and the infant Jesus in her arms. She was dressed in robes
of silk with a crown of gold on her head, and numberless jewels
glittering on her shoulders. Many other figures followed--one of Christ
bearing the cross, and of various saints; and there were little boys
looking like girls dressed up in pink and blue silk, and gold and silver
dresses all stuck out with glittering wings; and there were big boys or
priests in red and white gowns swinging censers, and others ringing
bells and chanting; and lastly there came regiments of soldiers with
bands playing before them, and the procession went on through a number
of streets, and at last into a church, when the soldiers marched away in
different directions. We were told that it was a religious procession,
though we could not understand how it was to advance the cause of
religion; indeed, we were particularly struck by the indifference with
which all the people looked on, and those especially who walked in the
procession. The men in black masks and hoods who carried the figures
were, we were told, doing penance for their sins, and that they believed
that they were thus washing away all the sins they had committed for the
year past; they, poor people, were not told by their priests that the
blood of Christ can alone cleanse men from sin. We saw many other
things, some of which we admired, for the city has some fine squares,
and open places, and broad streets, and handsome buildings. I need not
have been afraid of my wife wishing to remain in the country, for she
was in a hurry to get on board again, and declared that no money would
tempt her to live among people who held their fellow-creatures in
slavery, and practised such wicked mummeries and idolatries.

"No," she exclaimed, "let me live where I can have a parish c