The Emporia news. [volume] (Emporia, Kan.) 1859-1881, 1869-02-12
sOJOURN IN LOWER CALIFORNIA.

| loOSS WalSL Win snOrt sleeves, ana OIL
en- low neck. They never torture them
selves with that most barbarous of fash
ions, tight lacing, so prevalent among
our city bellies. Their dress is tidy and
comfortable, and the covering for the
head consists of light shawl, thrown
over the head and falling gracefully
over the shoulders. Among the wealthy
this garment is of a fine texture and
ornamented with embroidery, while
the poor are content with cotton ar
ticle of gaudy colors. The females are
very fond of jewelry and other orna-
ments. The men wear pantaloons quite
tight about the waist, but exceedingly
large around the hips and perfect bags
for bottoms. A waist or roundabout of
linen or other cool maferial that reach
es just to the hips, 9 huge sombrero
with brim from four to eight inches
wide to protect them from tropical
sun, boots or shoes of soft tanned leath-
er or buck skin, which are very soft and
comfortable on the feet. The outer gar
ment is costly fabric of diamond or
rectangular shape, with an opening in
the center, which is dropped over the
head and gives them a graceful appear
ance. The bacceros and poems or lower
classes wear the sandal, made of sole
leather, which affords considerable pro-
lection to the sole of the foot. The pc
ons and Indians when engaged in their
daily labor use little else than the garb
provided by Dame Nature.
When American women first came to
the peninsula they brought with them
their industry and independence, and
when their husbands were absent and
they had occasion to bring water they
would go to the fountain with pail in
hand and bring their own water. The
contempt of the Mexican ladies, who
could afford one or more black servants,
knew no bounds, and the yankee wom-
an was degraded beyond all hope of re-
covery. But it required only a few
years to convince the deluded mortals
that labor is consistent with honor and
intelligence-''that labor is honorable
in alP' and Incidence to be deplored.
Groups of servants pass to and fro in
cessantly carrying water upon their
heads in large earthen jars, with as
much grace as some of our city bellies
support their huge chignons. Their
wash day comes everv day of the week,
and if you should walk along the stream
in the suburbs of the town you might
see groups of girls and women of all
ages and colOrs sitting in the shade of
some tree, or booth of branchesab by the
side of large slab of granite, whose
surface has been worn smooth by con-
slant use, piece of soap, dipper, ETC.,
on one side and clothes on the other.
The water is always warm and compar-
atively free from lime.
The Mexicans are strongly addicted
to dancing; and this, with gambling,
constitute the principal sources of
amusement. Playing cards is one of
the most popular pastimes among all
classes ard both sexes. 1t is a very
common occurrence to see great crowds
of laboring men coming to town on
Saturday eve with their weeks earn
ings and never quit the gambling den
until Monday morn. Many women of
the best class spend whole hours at the
gaming table.
When a young man wishes the COM
pany of a senorita in attending party,
the old lady goes with her daughter and
the young charge never leaves her sight
for a moment. When gent calls to
spend the evening the old lady volun-
teers to entertain him, with the assist
ance of her daughter. 1t was our good
fortune to be present at leap-year par
ty in '64, and on such occasions the fair
ones claim certain peculiar privileges.
I observed that the senoritas were all
provided with curious missile and
when dashing fellow CHANGED to pass
| by they would smite him on the pate
with great vehemence, and then appa-
rently the fur flew; but upon close
examination we found these missiles to
be eggs which had been Invested of their
contents by puncturing the ends. and
were filled with sawdust and bits of It's
sue paper, and by bursting one of these
upon the head of a young man they ex-
press their preference for him.
There is large class of poor in the
seaport towns who subsist by carrying
burdens from the shipping. There il
an act standing upon their statute books
prohibiting any parties from building
pliers or wharfs, lest these miserable be
ings should be driven to some Other
employment. All steamers, ships, etc
az. obI;0ad 70 orchOr coma distoucf
from shore on account of shallow wa
ter, and all freight is then transferred
to barges, and these can then approach
within forty or fifty yards of the beach
and thence to the beach everything ii
transported on the backs of these poor
fellows. They are allowed certair
per cent instead of stated wages fol
their labor. They carry immense bur
dens-casks of liquor, molasses, oil
Astorc boxes-anything not exceeding
five hundred or six hundred pounds
They often club together, eight ten OIL
twenty of then, in order to carry heavy
iron castings, such as machinery for the
mines, quartz mills, etc Passengers
from the steamers are landed in a sim
liar manner, and some very amusing
incidents take place. On one occasion
q sIxiff load of ladies and gentlemen
were disembarking, and among the
number were several very modest, tim.
i'd and unassuming misses; as the skif
approached the beach the prov ground
ed on the sand as usual and two black
oarsmen jumped out into the water