The spirit of democracy. [volume] (Woodsfield, Ohio) 1844-1994, 1845-11-15
FOREIGN CORRESPONDENCE OF THE
OHIO STATESMAN.
LIMA, PEnU, August 9th. Is


been badly treated by book-makers generally
This city is the richest prettiest and most pecu-
liar of any in South America. Its fashions, man
ners, and taste are to be seen nowhere else. The
Oath of June. st. Johns day, is the great gala day
of the season. There is mountain hear Lima,
one of the spurs of the Andes on the sides of which
grow large yellow flower, called the flower OF
"Amancaes. On St. Johns day, all of the g,y
and dashing people of the city go out for picnic
on the mountain, and decorate themselves with
this hower-lades of Mgh-biood, riding in the
gilt bedizened "Calesa," drawn by single mule,
with an outrider in livery mounted on him All
who ride in carriages are bare-headed They look
as sober as judges, thinking it undgnifed to dis
play any curiosity, or to evince IN their coun
tenances consciousness of having seen any thing
or any body. Some are mounted on horseback,
and they are the ones that enjoy themselves Dash
ing gallant riders, cool in the saddle, expert with
the Bit and free of spur, they lounge and talk with
each other while going at pace that would stop
the pulsations of many of our ladies hearts Dres-
sed in short habit. fine Panama hat, with green
gold tassels, hanging jauntily behind, and Turkish
legins with white satin slippers, they present one
of the most gay and picturesque of sights. Some
ride astride. as they do in Persia and INDEED they
look BEAUTIFUL. | could not resist the tenpta-
ton, but mounted myself on sorry livery hack,
and went out with the crowd. The road, during
the whole distance, was full Of mounted people.
majority of them showing off their horsemanshp
in great variety Of ways. Now you see fellow
throw his hat from his head and dash after it, whir-
ing himself into one stirrup, aud picking it up,
without ever leaving the saddle, or checking the
force of his horse, nowyou see two or three start
off together, at mad rate, as If racing, and then
by powerful pull at their Spanish bits, stopping
their horses short IN their career. At length
reached the mountain, the end of the ride. The
crowd here was singular mixture of all grades,
positions, and colors-from the President of the
Republic to the meanest heggar; priests, soldiers,
and politicians. moving along anong samboa, quad
rooms, mestizoes, mulatoes, and all the other va
rieues OF shade to be found in Lima. All are wei
come, for it is a day OF general license. None
would be so forgetful to offend on that day the
m..ai miserable or corrupt OF ofmankind.
After the morning ramble among tie flowers,
then came on the dance, and its laughing f'aPng
accompaniments, among the ladies', and the wei
disposed and GENTEEL young men. but the
Lord protect the UNGENTEEL Of the above sex,
Tor they drinking cisco" and are in state of
uproarious excitement, making matches on the
most daredevil feats on horseback; some betting
on their horse's speed, some Oh how quick he could
be stopped in full rum some betting on what sort
of hill their horses could run down under the
spur without falling, and other equally eXravogant
pranks, which are frequently seen in the ercifrd
young UNGENTEEL Of all countries. Somewhere
near sunset, they commenced returning, and that
was trying hour for many akeeper Of ST. Johns
holiday The ladies' chamgagne and sherry, the
genllemen's stronger stock of good old brandy and
''stalia," threatened to make sad havoc among
those mounted, on the way beck. But right mer-
rily did they commence it With that .'never-say
die" look, which people are apt to put on when
partially ercited, they were fast whrling into their
saddles. Many among this vast csvalcade reeled,
as never saw men reel before without falling
There racing again, stealing hats and ponchos,
"a short riding cloak,) and another more danger
GUS trick, of riding by person and running their
feet uuder his stirrup thereby uniOrsiag the afore
said gentleman. Some charged at the poor old
negroes in the road, mounted on their jackasses.
At length we were all startled by the appearance
of lady dashing by, and sitting all over the sadde
now here, new therein short, seeming highly
ercited. Ispurred my ancient charger most des-
peratey TO get alongside, Gearing some accident,)
when all of sudden, she wheeled her horse, and
came cantering back, much more graceful rider
than l can ever hope to be. Seeing that | was
flurried she laughed as she flew by me, remarking
to some others, that was a .'GRINGA," term |
only applied to Americans and English on the
coast. and which, blush to relate, means, in onr
language, GREENHoRN. That this lady, IN order
to TOOL the crowd, should feign to be BADLY EN-
CITED, should thereby impose upon the sympa-
hies ofa clever and tender-hearted foreigner, and
that, as he believed, while in the act of assisting
1er, she should call him aGREENHoRN, was most
Being badly mounted, was expos
ID to much more ridcule; for on ST. Johns day,
lie who Is badly mounted is certainly one of the
'NoBoDIEs. There is no country where man
AN be more sensitive about the animal he mounts,
han Perm. To have person pass you on the
oad and criticise silently. but keenly, the horse
nder you, is dlsagreeable in any country, when
ou know his fangs; but what makes it more so
ere, is the fact that the man is judged pretty much
v his horse. found on that day, that, notwth- :
landing my prepossessing appearance, but few
ad any curiosity to look at ME, who Lad before
xamined my RAscALLY CHARGER. AT length
lis procession reached the Alameda" the FASH c
'nable walking ground of the capital, fine grove n
trees, with marble fountains. paved walks, and p
one seats Here it had to pass in review before s.
those who did not 60 70 the mountain Of flow 4,