Centre Democrat. [volume] (Bellefonte, Pa.) 1848-1989, 1879-05-15
THE MBxICANS.
Notes ofsome Picturesque Costumes seen
ta Vera Cruz, with . Pen Picture OF Q
Vera Cruz beauty.


A correspondent OF the New York
Euentn9 Post writes from Vera Cruz.
Mexico, ny follows: The cosmopolitan
character Of Vera Cruz, and the consid-
erable resident population Of foreigners,
tend In some measure TO crowd into the
background many of the distinctively
national costumes everywhere encoun-
tered In the interior. And yet the city
II, In many respects, nm epitome of al
Mexico. The curious and unaccustOmed
eye meets constantly with types not be-
fore seen. or seen perhaps only in pie
lures. This fact was forcibly impressed
upon me the other morning when stand
ing In the market beside the rude um-
brclla unor which young and rather
pretty Indian girl had arranged her stock
in trade of gaudy flowers, caught sight
of hacicndado. or farmer, riding briskly
up, clad, with his horse. in the full rig
of the typical country gentleman. A
short halt which he made near by afford
ed me an excellent opportunity Of study
ing the costume in detail.
A rather slcndcrly-bu iawny-
skinned man, mounted on small and
spirited horse. he presented snowy and
expensive, If not elegant, figure. II was
"A picture that could be seen nowhere
outside of Mexico. and one that in point
of picturesqucncss is not easily cxccllcd
anywhere. The lower dress consisted
Of embroidered brccchcs of fawn-colorcd
Gather. open at the knees and ornament
ed with two rows of round silver but
tons and broad stripes of silver lace;
worked shirt with high collar, and
short jacket of printed calico. on which
was gracefully thrown AN elegant manga
or circular cloak of yiolet-colOTed velvet.
profsely ornamcntcd with gold lace.
On his feet lac wore son Cordoynn leather
boots of buff color, over which were
drawn chcrivallcs. or leggins. Of kind
peculiar To the country. These leggins
are open from the knee down. and are
made generally Of Cinnnmon-colorcd
leather. secured by an ornamental gare
ter. They form very expensive artiCl-
of dress. as the leather is cut in relieve
in great variety Of elegant patterns n
work done by the Indians Of the interior
provinces in manner that would be ex-
ccedingly difficult TO initiate. They
range in cost from eight To iifty dollars a
pair, and yield even at that price, am
told, scanty remuneration Ia the
makers. They form. however. an indiS-
pcnsable article in the outfit Of the or
dinary Mexican, who. in the arrange
ment of his toilet, seems Ia pay partiCu-
lar attention to his legs. The head 81
this picturesque person was covered with
broad-brimmed. luw-crowned hat OF
grayish-white felt. completely shading
the shoulders. cncirclcd by broad roll
or band Of silver lace. with fringe Of the
same upon it, outer edges. Ilis feet were
armed with the enormous spurs Of the
middle ages. with rnwcls fully twelve
inches in circumference and having n
small bell attached 10 the sides of each.
whose music. Joined TO that Of the accuu-
tcrmenis of his horse. seems to denote
The wealth and consequence of the cays-
licro.
Tho decorations Of the horse were
even more dashing and infinitely more
costly than those Of his rider. i small
bride. heavily urnamontcd with silver.
with a very large and powerful bit. by
means of which the most stubborn an
imal can be- insianiancously stopped
when nj full speed; stirrups of solid or
plated silver. and an immense saddle
with large saddle-naps of skin. dressed
with the hair on, hanging down in front
to the horses knees. while n heavy pct
ticoat-like covering Of stif. elaborately-
stamped brown leather, called n Cortcz
shield. inClosed the whole hind parts
well down to the Launches. At this
point it terminated in n deep. heavy
fringe of iron chainwurk. whose jing-
ling noise seems to constitute the chief
happiness of the Mexican rider. All
these arcoutermcnt--ihe bride, saddle.
etc.--wcre richly embroidered and dec
GRATED in the gold, silver and colored
silks which make the complete equip
ment and harness Of Mexican cava-
licro so expensive. The lcggins, spurs.
feathers and coverings Of the stiTrups
are all embroidered: some Of the former
are SO deliberately ornamcnted as TO cost
$50 pair. while the whole dress. II
it has any prctcnse to fashion. cannot
be purchased for lcss than $500. The
saddles are particularly expensive. and
in almost every saddler's shop may hc
seen half n dozen of them. ranging in
price from $500 To $500, and even AZ high
rs 81 600. II Is said that the Saddlcrs or
no other country can make n Mexican
saddle. and il is to be hoped that no
decent workman will attempt II. Large
and heavy. they are very safe and easy
for the rider: but it j. rare thing io
see horse return from journey with
out n sore back
Attircd in this scmi-barbaric garb and
astridc of n gayly-caparisoncd and pranc-
ing stecd, the Countryman presented n
picturesque and gallant figure, not
little heightened by the flowing folds
of his violet-colorcd manga: for Of all
the soft-1owing and ornamental drappry
of Mexican costume. the manga more
nearly approaches the idea Of perfect
grace than any other. Worn somewhat
in the fashion Of tlr serapc. the manga
differs essentially from IT, II il made
of hroadcloth of different hut uniform
colors. often of the gaycst-bright blue.
scarlet or purple, Of velvet or Of fine
figured cotton Of native manufacture.
In shape circle, Il is heavily en-
broidcred with silk braid, gold lace or
cord or velvet around the slit in the
center through which the head Is passed.
This embroidery often forms an inner
circle of itself, extending usually To the
turn of the shoulders. Dressed in his
picturesque garb. the Mexican rider
makes costume picture not easily
matched; especially so when. raised on
one shoulder to give free play to the
IL