New-York daily tribune. [volume] (New-York [N.Y.]) 1842-1866, 1852-04-09


tiny HANDS and feet, and withal low sa. clear
voice, and me reader has . picture Of Central
Amencsn lady OF pure stock Very many OF sne
women have, no ~eveY, an Infusion OF other famfes
and races, rom the ssracen 10 the lsfian ana tue
Negro IN every cesTec u.elnixture Aud az tAsles
offer. soMay opinions as TO whstherthe
through shich toe blooj glows with a peacn-hAe
bloom in the compile xio6 OF the eiI who may trace
her lineage TO the csziques upon one side ana tns
naughty grancees OF ADuaiusia ard Sevils on mo
ether superadded, as usually 10, 70 greater ilks-
ness OF figure anc animation OF face,-"netneI
this Is at real beauty than that oil the rau
ard more lappuio sonora, whore white ana almost
transparent SKIN bespesks purer ancestry. NOT IL
toe Inoian girl. Nth her full, 1.-THE ngure, long,
glossy bair. quick and mischeyous eyes, who Walks
erect as sfenadler beneath be. heavy ~alefJH,
ard ga ute IN musical, D ent voice As you
pass-IoT is The Indian girl 10 be over-o0ke1 IN the
] ovel contrasts which the - beo sexo" affords In
this glorious land oil The tup.
We calico upon several French ana Itaiian 'ani,
lies dent snada. but found that long ps1loo
OF naturalization had completely assimated nem
70 the natives Of the county, win "hon 'ho' n
largely iLteImaUied But what surDiHh us shoss
was that IN the best houses II vas no UNCOMMON
thrg to hDd shop occupying the =" etqulha, oi
conner, room on one side OF tns court IN "n,on
lew Of the ladies thought II derogaoTy 10 tneif ois
lity or violation Of prosriety 10 pIesloe on any
necessary occasioD In fact, these shops were gen
orally supenneDced 10y the VIE oil inc pfopl.es ";
seated with her sewing III her lap In an easy chat,
behind the low counter. And even IN entertaining
her visitors iD the grand sala Il WAS common tor me
lady to keep an eye to what WAS passing 10 .ne
"iienda," through cOnveleDt, open ooor In tue
larger establishments. O~ever there exists All the
para, hernalia OF clerks and attendants which Te
find "a home.
Equally graphic are the pictures OF
THE METROPOLITAN SOCIETY OF LEON d.
4 few DAYS ia Leon suiiiced 10 show me
that in the tone OF It's society, and the manners OF
It's people, 1t had more OF the metropolitan character
than Granada. And although The proportion OF its
inhabitants who laid claim TO what is called post
tion," even here compa stiveiy small ana nos az
.tl~, I'D M IN "a
the la ger cities OF Mexico, South America, and our
own country yet in the essential respects OF hospt
taiity, kndness asdscouresy, Hound II entueo 20
position SCI ond to no other community. The women
are far from being highly educated but are simple
and unaffected In their manners and possessed OF
great quickness of apprehension, and readiness 10
good natured repartee, which compensates, to
certain extent, for their deficiency IN general IN
formation
been such as to afford few opportunities for the
cultivation OF those accomplishments which are
INDISPENSABLE accessories OF Iehned society and We
are therefore, not justified IN subjecing the people
of LeOp, or Of any other city OF Central America,
TO the test OF our standards can conceive ofnothnS
more painful more calculated 10 awakeh the inter
est OF the visitor from abroad than the spectacle OF
people, with really high aspirations and capabilities,
born down by the force Of opposing circumstances,
conscious of its condition, but almost despalrng
OF improving 1t.
Ia dress H. women of Leon have the same fashions
with those OF GIanaea, but the European styles are
less common owing IS the circumstance that there
are fewer foreign residents 10 Inject TIE popular
taste. They have equal fondness for the csartto
and In the street NOT less proud of displaying
little foot and satin slipper. As every where else in
the world they very attentive in their devetons
but bey ond their daily visit to the churches rarely
go out Of doors except 1t is In ine early evening,
when visits are paid informally. II chance brings
together sufficient lumber, "tertuta," or dance,
is ofeD improssed Set parties or balls are OF rare
occurrence, and are generally given only on pabiic
occ asiOBs aud then ~itb great state and ceremony.
We were witnesses OF tertulia az our own
hOug he 10 A
senoras casually found themselves together dance
sproposedby the gaan,s lettering az the balconies
ana the proposition meeting VITA favor they az once
dispersed 10 bring IN recruits and the muscOs F"
In an heur the grand saia was filed. The females
ss they came in we're all ranged one side of the
roem ard the males on the other This looked rather
stiff and bes ali to fear tina. teTtuIa vas 10 great
matter after all Directly, however, single cou0le
toos the floor the music struck uc aud as thev
lady first sioe and t'en on the other. As she
passed she Alternately tapped selor ans sonora on
the shoulder vita her FAM thus arbitrarily de.ermn
ing the partners who were obliged at once to join
in the dance In this manner the whole parry was
brought 70 its feet, noiens Uotsasaad such found
vas frequent mode OF opening the tertuia After
s nd ss sp sSs sssnss are psrmsd
a choice. thought the pracsce good one, oovas'
ing a great deal OF awkward diplomacy at the oEsset
and putting every very speedily at theu ease AS
the evening progressed the party augmented, ana
before ter o'clock ~e had got togelnei ~. ee p'
and when the bell of the cathedral to1ed eleven,
thllk | never saw mole animated asseinoiage.
The polka and the waltz, as also the belero, ana
other we'll Known Spanish dances we're all danced
gracefully anG with spirit and besides these, after
much persuasion, we had an Indian dance. singular
affair, slow and complicated, and which leit uooa
ny mind a distinct impression that II was rensious
in its origin After the dancing, we had music. but
beyond the Datora air, which sas siven with force
and spirit, cannot say much for the singing
During the whole evening, the vipdo |s were
festooned with urchins and the doors oocka1ed
by spectators who when they we're par icutariy
pleased, applauded unanimously, as II the whole
affair he'd been up for their special
TIE police would have driven them of. but won
an snounpg popularity by inercedng IN their be-
half and they were consequently perm,t,ed - re-
malp Upon the occasions OF the more formal balls
subsequently given, ssidiers were stationed At every
entrance ana the crowd kept az a dis a1ce
Among the lover classes, fandangoes and other
characteristic dances are frequent aud are sni ;ent-
lyuprOsrious and promlscuons For OBVIOUS rea-
sons. | never witnessed any OF these In the city,
although stumbled upon them oc,a'ions ~ in the
villages, during my excursions IN The country.
The D. ope OF Nicaragua are generally scruDui-
ously clean their persons, except when travelling
OF III, and then The touch of water is prompted.
But beyond the grand sala, aud the apartments ap
propriateo to visitors their houses are frequently
very far from beng patterns of neatness | have
seen sleeping apartments occupied by families OF
the frat respe"tsoty, Whch certainly nad not been
swept for weeks, not 20 Say months. Yeti the beds
IN these rooms we're clean and neat-the more so
peri sps from the contrast Taese remarks are less
applicable TO GransdA than Leon, Tor "a the former
civ the example OF the foreign residents has worked
partial reform alton among the native house
keepers.
The volumes are profusely illustrated with
original drawings, maps, antiquarian specimens,
and views of natural scenery. Mr.. Squier is a
master of descriptive style. He is never dull
Beauty always fires his Imagination. He has
a wholesome sense OF the ludicrous. He is as
much on the alert for a good joke as for a ruined
temple, and enjoys piquant adventure with no
less yes, than the discovery of a hideous old
monster of an idol. His work is, accordingly,