The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1852-01-24

! here were some half dozen large gildea affairs,
With statues Of saints In the inches Of the same
badly soap. ~assr and srS
display OF tinsel and crosses. There was quite q
number OF natives kueeling around upon the brick
floor, before the affairs all was silent and gloomy
those passing around. strolJed through the build
ing, stopping before each altar as ] passed dewn
upon one side, and returned upon the other. As
passed around, | scrutinized closely each saint,
Central American fashion, St. Peter, and St Paul,
and others, with mustachios-and Christ in the
same style. The sculpture was coarse, rude, and
ancient in appearance, while many looked as though
they were In great distress, mentally and physical
ly. Near the door, standing upon PEDESTAL, OBJ
served their saint she was some four feet in
height, carved out Of wood, with pale, long, and
sorrovful expression Of countenance painted like
sixpeDpy doll, with eyes like peeled onions, and
heavy, high arched, black eyebrows, and long
eyelBshes, the face vanished, 80 that it locked
moro like having been well slushed, or creased.
Its head was little reclining on one shoulder; in
her left hand, at one grasp she spanned around the
waist OF little fat image of the infant Jesus
which che squeezed so tight that its legs and
spread out IN agonizDg mood, and looked more
Ike mammoth bull frog than an infant human
being An old woman, some seventy years OF age
quite crooked backed, wearing an enormous pair Of
round spcctaoles, was busily engaged dressing the
saint in tinsel dress, placing n gilt necklace
around its neck, placing headaress OF the
drops Of tho same costly material upon it, after
which tin crown plecsd upon its head, aad
there ii stood oil lis beauty aud glory. loft the
church, and sas about taking my departure for
TIE lake. VII 81 uly attention was drawn towards the
plaza and the church, by tremendous ringing of
bells and firing Of pistols and rockets | reiaed up
my horse towards the eauroh, and observed the
image OF The 50 IN, bong carried upon sort Of bier
by tour men. Sho Was under = tinsei canopy, and
following after, holding up tho trsll o. he. dros5.
four priests in popt icial roo.s, with ml5res
upon their hands, snd long procession of eirla
and boys: preceding tie proc sSou were several
men and boys firing PISTOLS rockets, CRACKERS, and
torIedoes tha bystaaders looking on with hats
of kneoiag Is ii passed so yly into the church,
amid the ciatter Of cracked and broken oells after
which epurred up my horse anc wa soon GA tbs
road to Nicaragua Lake TIE whole affair looked
like chiii's play and was perIeot representation
Of priesteraft aud nuaUltry. The etfsc. upo n
the people By these things is great, and they look
upon such things as they would upon the aotuai
visit of al angel and believe it reality, aad that
this gded doll possesses virtue aud po yer sufficient
to make them earpy or NEUTRALITY-SUSPICIOUS. their
attention and devotion. In passing through their
towns end often by the road side, you will see rude
Crosses placed there, to remind the passer by Of
hgon. In almost every native building you will find
q rude cross over the doorway or hanging upon the
wall, with everaEd anon a coarseIy painted Iitho
graph Of Christ upon the Cross, the virgin Mary
and child, or some Amt or apostle OF the church.
but enough OF this and 20 my letter.
This being the time Of an annual fair, he'd at the
Guy OF San miguel fourteen leagues. or
nllcs distant north ret of the polt Island dster
mined at once to visit that place. The city OF San
Miguel is the principal business depot for the sale Of
foreign merchBadisc, as Well as OF the products OF
the state These fairs are held for tho purpose OF
selling merchandise, and purchasing from the poo.
pie their indigo, s.. The fair commenced on
the 18th instant, ard lasts from eight to tea days
There is generally gathering Of people from all
State Of Guatemala. Having my lady with me,
whom | met at Greylo gn. wnither she had come
for that prrpoge from New York, ! determined to
take her with ne. For that purpose provided NO
fine spirited horses aud the weather at midday
is too warm for travelling, determined to start
at four in the morning, In company with two Eng
sh gentlemen going 10 the So me place. Having pro-
vided mysel with the horses, supposed OF course,
that was in perfect fit out; bat whs. was my sur
prise in fndingmy provedd with horses only, and
no saddles or brides. Through the Interpretation
OF friend, ascertained that it was expected all
travellers In Central America would, as matter
of course, bring with them ali their horse equpags;
thus. almost at the eleventh hour found myselt in
this predicament, and it was not until after running
over the whole town of San Carlos, at quite late AZ
night, that ! succeeded in obtaining saddle
here and saddle there, well as bride here and
bride there, stirrup here and stirrup there,
well as gilths Sc, from different places, which
put togethes after fashion, and at las. wo found
ra re Ne s'u oso i'F Deag FS allowed w to
lasd from vessels in the harbor after six
Pm / repsirtd 70 the con- maAdsnte, ana obtained
SPECIAL permission 10 90 SO at 2oy hour Of the
night At about II p M. we came on shore with
our carpet bags containing clothes; We pa ssei
sebtinel, who challenged as, but the second would
not allow us to pass; We could neither understand
him nor he understand US; b1s he took possession
OF carpes bags, ard signdet his wish TO aspect
tie contents, which | readily complied with, an!
opened them; hs amused himself few minutes II
taking out cur clothes, after which he LEI US repack
them, ard ne passed on. We slept upon aide
bed, IN harm OF room, with three doors and
Window: the building was OF adobe, with brick
floors; the tiubers and rafters were grnning oCor-
bead tbs supported the tile roof, and being without
furniture, except one tasle ana Two c9aTs, vas
gloomy enough At abort inste ID Of in the
morning, we mounted our horses ard 10 con pany
with cur two English friends and NJ, 40
gsboped Cd ever the pareAeats of street, a1a
coon found numbers dpon the road for San Miguel
he emily moce OF travelling IN this country IL
upon mules, horses, OF foot; the roads are gen
orally mule paths Eat tie read from san Carlos
10 Miguel is an exception, and more like the roads
transported over this road to san Miguel. We
passed a great number Of cayts, drawn BY oxen.
loaded with boxes and bales for san Miguel, AID
others goipg 10 tie port with oeroons Of indigo aud
ere These carts arc made after peculiar fashion
of the Countrywide wheels are a soitc piece OF
hogapy. saved CT from the end Of log, aud re-
vol upon au axietrce; the tongue OF tue cart Is
fastened 10 rude poke, which - Hed TO the horns
Of the oxen, on the forward part Of the head-thus
the push their loads alosg, instead Of dtsviag
them. ! saw the same kinds vi carts, ana drawn
ia the same style, IL Brazil We ere generally
woYrcG OF our approach % one Of tdUsa carts at
least quarter Of miie IN advance by the creokiag
Of tic wheels crying out Ior l.r, a. they TeYo,ge
slowly upon the a&lctItc. We saw many eGcts
broken down, BY The sp'itEnR il.tEo of tGe wheels.
hey carry igGt loads nee sarlg, yet lfou t1c
yclurg o. the natives, and che manner ii wach
they pour.c the animals, cEc wolit suppose they
had trcn auGOus loa6, tho heaviest O. which ysoSl3
10 thought nothing % the east
Ireie was very Gttle ueoU The rcal 70 attract
rttHTtfUu. G.