The Somerset herald. [volume] (Somerset, Pa.) 1870-1936, 1874-01-07
Portuguese Yesas.

IL vas = icsIa IA hOllday--aud
the peasantry were all in their holi-
DAY dresses; the women very gaily
aitircd, With embroidered muslin
kcrchiefs on their heads, over which
which is worn the heavy, black, span
i.h-I0ok;ng hat, with ornaments Of
floss silk made 70 curl and look
ike a black ostrich feather. The
customs Of the women varies slightly
in almost every parish in the king
dom; but it generally consists Of an
ample serge petticoat, descending TO
the ankle, and gathered round tic
waist into innumerable plaits,a close
fitting bodice (either black or gayly
col0red) over linen shirt showing
white on the shoulders and the arms,
with bright colosed kerchief-com-
monty red, OF orange, or blue-cross-
ed over the breast. All this makes
a picturesque costume, which will
suit the comcly, bnxOn, black-haircd
peasant women Of the Mimic Prov
iaee. with their rich olive complex
i'He aad fac eyes. The women have
Fe.H.2ed their national dress, and in
the rcmoter parts the men also: but
lia many places the latter are less
conservative, and wear wide-awake
hats, trousers, and short Jackets ia
lien Of the old national costume
The women use their peculiar meas
ant jewelry, Of ancient Moorish de-
sign, On fiesta days only. Heavy
necklaces Of complicated pattern sus-
pended huge, heart-shaped lockets
on their breasts; in their ears are
heavy pendant earrings. One wo-
man will often wear three or four
such necklaces Of gold, of a standard
.of not less than twenty carats, and |
am assured that many of the peasant
women carry about them not less
than twenty Or thirty pounds worth
Of gold ornaments.
coming from GaIicia, where the
natives are 50 exceedingly boorish, /
was much struck by the kintiy cheer
ful manners Of the people. In every
little hamlet by the road side-snd
the frequency ofsueh hamlet and the
density Of the population are marve-
ious-ln every village | passed to-
day there was a gathering Of the in
habitants; the men busy with the
game Of bowls, the youths and girls
dancing, with a crowd Of lookers-on,
the twanging Of the guitars ming
Ing pleasantly with the sound Of
laughter and cheerful voices.
Up among the mountains, some
kind Of 'Bolero" is danced. that is.
a pas de due-T between a male and
female dancer; but in this part Of the
country, | have seen only one kind
Of dance, certainly q very singular
one. Each person dances by himself
or herself, 70 slow and monotonous
ig 1une, following the person in front
in circle. The music often accom-
panies-ia the most literal sense
the dancers; it is generally fiddle,
aud an amusing sight it is to see the
man who plays it, fddling gravely
away as he cuts the queer little steps
Of the dance. There are usually one
OF two guitar players among the
spectators, who Join the fiddle and
make up the orchestra These mo-
no.onoUs dances will last for hours.
the tired dancers falling out and fresh
ones taking their places.
Often, On a holiday evening. the
villagers assemble to listen TO extern
porary singing, one lad will challenge
another lad or maiden to sing against
MIN in alternate rhvmed verse; or :
champion viii sauA,er up with a
guitar from a neighboring village.
and throw down the gauntlet TO a
whole hamlet. This is called sing
ing 90 desa no, singing to challenge
There is, ofcourse, as in italian ex-
temporary recitation, some trust to
the performers memory, and when
his invention is at fault. he NAV Oft
en- interPolate some stock rhyme but
as the Portuguese improvisator has to
ind a rhyme to his opponents verse
there must be far less dependence on
memory and more on quickness Of
faacy, than in Italy. The rule is,
as Ear rs | can understand, that the
singer who begins, goes on plying
the other with verses. to which the
second has to find rhymed answers;
when be hesitates or stops, the bout
IS concluded and parts reversed, and
the improvisation recommences.
1t must not be supposed that this
feat is quite SO difficult as it might
appear. The verses are half sung
half recited to in q peculiar, slow
drawing tone, and plenty of time is
given to fad 4 rhyme in language
Ike the Portuguese, which is very full
of them. Moreover practice makes
perfect, and this alternate verse sing
ing is to be heard all dav among the
fields and hill sides of the Mimic.
The shepherd lad, keeping his flock
on the bill, viii serenade his friend
across the valley, perhaps a quarter
of q mile away. A girl cutting grass
will shout out her remarks to her
lover, two fields from her, and these
two viii go on singing TO each other
the livelong day like eieades in the
sunshine | have heard man.
when no companion was at hand,
actually whistle each second velse
IN higher key, to represent, l pre-
sumo, the sweet strains of his absent
mistress
This alternate song is not common
except in the Northern Province of
the Minho, the most populous, the
most fertile, and the most beautiful
province Of the kingdom. In the
mountainous district Of Beira, the
singing is of quite 4 different char
aeter; and in the poverty stricken
provinces Of the south, there is NTH
er singing nor cause for singing
TIE Ns,r Quarterly Magazine
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