The Cecil Whig. [volume] (Elkton, Md.) 1841-current, 1873-03-22
A CENTRAL AMERICAN FESTIVAL.

Before leaving the little settlement at
Tarifa pass, the party had the novel ex-
perience of assisting at festival of unusu-
al interest. Senior Maeheo, being the
owner of the summit lands, comes from
Oaxaca once a year to brand the cattle, and
the inhabitants make the occasion IA fete
day. Early in the morning men hunt the
cattle in the woods and drive them into 4
large Enclosure. Then, selecting from the
herd the largest bull, the herdsman on a
swift horse dashes after it, and at full
speed filings the lasso, which never fails to
coil itself about the horns of the animal.
The horse is blindfolded, but is taught to
turn half round as soon as he feels the lasso
thrown from the riders hand. He then
stiffens his hind-legs, puts out his neck and
gets ready for the jerk, which throws the
bull to the ground. for one end of the lasso
is attached to the horses tail. After the
cloud of dust, caused by the chase, clears
away the bull is seen madly trying to get
loose. A moment after and he is dragged
to the corral. In this way twenty or thlr-
ty herdsman will soon fill large corral
with animals of all sizes and descriptions.
At dark, on the same day, chants and the
Litany of the virgin are sung by the peo-
pie, kneeling around the cross, in the
square formed by the few houses at Tarifa.
The same evening, delegation waited
on Senior Macheo, the women bearing ban
ners and crowns of flowers, and arranging
themselves in a semicircle, their spokes-
man made speech. Crossing himself
hurriedly, he said in rather confused
style, that he was convin ced that it was
his duty to love God and the Virgin, then
his master, and to say his prayers, but
after these duties were we'll done, nothing
made man feel better than fandango
with the pretty maidens. Permission was
granted, and a man was Immediately sent
to a neighboring town for band of music.
The women then presented their wild flow
ers, and placed garlands on the heads of
their master and his guests, departing i'm
mediately afterwards to dance till morn
ing.
On the next day, delegat ion ofnatives,
preceded by the band, came with an invi-
tation to witness the branding. Accord
ing to custom, one of their number was
supposed to be prisoner whom his friends
were to liberate. The men and women
stood in a semicircle before the hut. The
spokesman then brought forward the
handsomest man of their number. an ath-
lete, entirely naked, his body painted blue
and red to initiate wounds, while his limbs
we're bound with cords. After exhibiting
him, his friends united his legs, and he
passed about an old hat, for aims to defray
the expenses of the journey home which
he was supposed to be about to make. The
procession then formed, Senior Macheo
and the Strangers occupying the place of
honor, and all marched to the corral where
platform was erected. covered with palm
leaves, and already crowded with squaws.
Rockets, torpedos and the Mexican ma
tional hymn begin the sport. Then men
with bundles of dry grass in hand, and
making a peculiar noise with their lips,
leap inside the Enclosure. Two of them
seize bull by the horns; third, by the
tail. The red-hot branding iron is then
ha uded to fourth man, who lifts his hat
and gives the first hurah: "Long live my
master the Senior Don Julian Macheo!'
The Gro wd yells in reply. "Que Viva
and simui.t aneously the tail 10 ierked, the
horns twisted, and the bull is down and
marked in a twinkling with the sign here
shown. This is the brandmark used by
IL