The Sun.
London, England, 1812-03-07 00:00:00

IVEIP SPAIN,

A 3 the people of this country are likely to make
;distinguished figure in these revolutionary times;
the following account of them, as given by Major
PIKE, an offiber in the United States infantry; will
be acceptable to our Readers.

For hospitality, generosity, docility,-and sobriety,
the people of. New Spain exceed any nation on the
globe ; but in national energy, or patriotism, enter-
prise of character, independence of soul, they are
perhaps the most deficient. Yet these are men
who have displayed bravery to a surmising degree,
and the Europeans who are there, cherish with de-
light the idea of their gallant ancestry. Their wo-
men have back eyes and hair, fine teeth, and are
generally brunettes. I met but one exception to
this rule at Chilhuahua, of a lair lady, and she, by
way of distindion, was called the girl with light
hair. They are all inclining a little to en Gon point,
but none, or few, are elegant figures. Their dresses
are generally short jackets and petticoats, and high-
heel shoes, without any head dress; over this they
have a slk wrapper which they always wear,'and
When in the pre-ence of men atre6t to bring it over
their faces ; but ai we approached the Atlantic and
our frontiets, we sa at several ladies who wore the
Owns of oor own countrywomen, which they con-
cei‘e to be more elegant titan their ancient custom.
lower class of the men are generally dressed in
broad brimmed hats, short coats, large waistcoats
and small-clothes, ale ays open at the knees, ()vying
I suppose, to the 'greater freedom it gites to the
limbs on horseback, a kind of leather boot or
-Wrapper, ar utind round the leg, somewhat in the
manner of our frontier men's leggings, and gartered
on. The boot is of a soft pliable leather, but not
-coloured. In the eastern provinces the dragoons
wear over this wrapper a sari of jack-hoot made of
seat leather, to which are fastened the spurs by a
rivet, the gaffs of w hich are near ate inch in length.
Bat the spurs of the gentlemen and officers, although
clumsy in our ideas, are frequently ornamented with
raise silver work on the shoUlders, and the strap
embroidered st ith silver and gold thread. They arc
alwayseeady to mount their horses; on which the
inhabitants of the internal provinces spend nearly
!elf tlie.day. This deseript ion will apply generally
toe the dress of all the men of the provinces, for
the lower class, but in the towns, among the more
fashionable ranks, they dress after the European or
United States mode, with not more distindion than
we see in our cities from one six months to another.
iloth tnen and Women have rematkably tine hair,
and pride themselves in the display of it.-
Thei' aatusements are music, singing dancing, and
ambl ng ; the latter is stridly prohibited, but the
proltibmon is not much attended to. The dance of
is perturmed by one man and two wo-
.
men, who beat time to the music, which is soft
'arid voluptuous, but sometimes changes to a lively
gay air, whilst the dancers occasionally exhibit the
most indelicate gestures. Tee u hole of this dance
.d the with an idea of an insulated society
of once cit ilized beings, but now degenerated' into
_a medium stale, bet %Aryl' the improved world and
the children of nature.

The fandango is danced' in various figures and
number,. The minuet is danced by the superior
ea*s oily; the music mdde use of is the guitar,
violin, and lingers, who in the first described dance,
accomi.any the music with their hands and voices,
h always some worth adapted to the music,
which are generally of such a tendency as would
iu thi: United States occasion every tidy to leave

Their games are cards, billiards, horse-racing, and
cock-fighting, the fir,t and last of which are carried
to the most extravagant lengths, the patties losing
and winning immense sums.. The present Com-
imandant-General is very severe 'with his Officers 'in
these respeds, frequently sending themti some fron-
tier poit, in confinement for months, for no other
butt than having lost large sums at play.
At every town. of consequence is a public walk,
where the ladies and gentlemen meet, and sing
songs, which are always on the subjeCt of love, or
IL. social board. ' The females have fine voices,
and sisig in French, Italian, and Spanish, the whole

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