The Sun.
London, England, 1851-07-28 00:00:00

TILE MEXICAN FREEBOOTER.

" Calzoneros, of green velveteen. These are cut after
the fashion of sailors trowsers—short waist, tight round
the hips and wide at the bottoms, where they.are strength-
ened by black leather, stamped and stitched ornament-
ally. The outer seams are split from hip to thigh,
slashed with braid, and set with rows of silver castle-
stops. These seams are open—for the evening is warm
—and underneath appear the calzoncillos of white mus
lin, hanging in wide folds around the ankles. The boot
is of calf-skin, tanned but not blackened. It is reddish,
rounded at the toe, and carries a spur at least a pound
in weight, with a rowel three inches in diameter. The
spur is curiously fashioned, and fastened to the boot by
straps of stumped leather. Little bells—campanillos—
hang from the teeth of the rowels, and tinkle at the
slightest motion of the foot. Look upwards. The cal-
zoneros are not braced, but fastened at the waist by a
silken sash or scarf. It is scarlet. It is passed several
times round the body, and made.fast behind, where the
fringed ends hang gracefully over the left hip. There is
no vest. A jacket of dark cloth, embroidered and tightly
fitting; short behind—a la Gree—leaving the skirt to
puff out over the scarf: The shirt itself exhibits the
triumphant skill of some dark-eyed poblana. Over all
this is the broad brimmed shadowy sombrero—a heavy
hat of black glaze, with its thick band of silver bullion.
There are tags of the same metal stuck in the sides,
giving it an appearance altogether unique. Over one
shoulder is hanging—half folded—the picturesque
scrape. A belt and pou,h, an escapotte upon which the
hand is resting, a waist-belt with a pair of small pistols
stuck under it, a long Spanish knife suspended obliquely
across th© left hip, complete the tout ensemble of him
whom I have chosen to describe."

TEIE TRAPPER.
"He stands, leaning on his long, straight rifle,looking
into the fire. He is six feet in his moccasons; and of a
build that suggests the idea of strength and Saxon an-
cestry. His arms are like young oaks; and his hand,
4:rasping the natizzte of his gun, is large, fleshless, and
muscular. His cheek is broad and firm. It is partially
covered by a bushy whisker, that meets over the chin,
and fringes all around the lips. It is neither fair or
dark ; but of a dull brown colour, lighter around the
mouth, where it has been bleached by the sun, amber,'
and water. The eye is grey, or bluish grey, and slightly
curved at the corner. It is well set, and rarely wanders.
It seems to look into you, rather than at you. The hair
is brown, and of a medium length (cut no doubt on his
lust visit to the trading post, or the settlements); and the
complexion, although dark as a mulatto, is only so from
tan. It was once fair—a blonde. The countenance is
not unprepossessing. It might to be styled handsome.
Its whole expression is bold, but good-humoured and
generous.
" The dress of the individual described is of home
manufacture—that is, of his home, the prairie, and the
wild mountain park—where the material has been
brought by a bullet from his rifle. It is the work of his
own hands—unless, indeed, he may be one who, in his
moments of lassitude, has shared his cabin with some
Indian damsel, Sioux, Crow, or Cheyenne.
" It consists of a hunting shirt of dressed deer-skin,
smoothed to the softness of a glove. Leggings reaching
to the waist, and moccasons of the same material-791c

latter soled with the parflecieOf the buffalo. The shirt
is belted at the waist, but open at the breast and throat,
where it falls back into a graceful cape, just covering the
shoulders. Underneath is seen the undershirt, of a finer
material—the dressed skin of the antelope, or the faw❑
of the fallow-deer. Oa his head is a racoon cap, with
the face of the animal looking to the front ; while the
barred tail hangs like a plume drooping down to his
left shoulder.
" His accoutrements aro a bullet pouch, made from
the undressed skin of the mountain cat, and a huge
crescent-shaped horn, upon which he has carved many a
strange souvenir. His arms consist of a long knife, a
bowie, and a heavy pistol,; carefully secured by hol-
sters to the leathern belt around his waist. Add to this
a rifle nearly five feet long, taking ninety to the pound,
and so straight, that the line of the barrel scarcely de-
flects from that of the butt!
" But little attention has been paid to ornament in
either his dress, arms, or equipments; and yet there is
a gracefulness in the bang of his tunic-like shirt—a sty-
lishness about the fringing of the cape and leggings, and
a jauntiness in the set of that coonskin cap, that shows
the wearer to bo not altogether unmindful of his per-
sonal appearance. A small pouch or case, neatly em-
broidered with stained porcupine quills, hangs upon his
breast."