The Vancouver independent. (Vancouver, W.T. [Wash.]) 1875-1910, 1879-04-10
Correspondence ofthe INDEPENDENT.
THE CARNIVAL AT MILAN.
MILAN, ITALY, March, 1879.

two months, closed on Sunday last
By special dispensation Of the Church
some centuries ago, this city was
granted three days carnival beyond the
time allotted to other parts of Italy, to
commemorate some great charity of
the Milanese. This enables other cities
and villgaes to finish up their own good
time, and then come to this city for
grand blowout.
At 2 o'clock P. NJ. guards of cavalry
were stationed at streets entering into
the avenues selected for the drives,
which form circuit of some 400 rods,
through the business part of the city.
This guard was to prevent carriages
from turning the side streets across
the line of pedestrians, and to keep all
vehicles in line going the same way.
The streets were packed with men and
women from the buildings to the track
Of the single line Of carriages in the
center SO that pedestrians could move
only as the crowd moved on each side
of the street in an opposite direction.
Elegant carriages mingled with dirt
carts, and all grades of society were
represented in the riders. The bal
conies-and every house has them
were filled with spectators. Those on
the lower tier of balconies have the
privilege of throwing things down upon
the crowd. They provide themselves
with baskets Of lime, prepared in balls
the size of wheat grain, literally
mixed with dust. With small scoop
shovel holding perhaps quart, they
throw it down upon the crowd or upon
anyone they may select. No matter
how finely dressed the passing lady or
gentleman might be, it was impossible
to escape the inhiction. All along the
line of mile of balconies on both
sides, the dust of the battle rose up
and filled the air, white, binding and
sitting, while the shouting and laugh
ter of the struggling mass of human
ity could only be likened to a wild riot
in bedlam. Carriages were provided
with the stuff and the occupants threw
it right and left into the faces of pass
ers, and in their turn struggled under
the whiteavalanches from above While
the crowd was tempted to look up to
catch oranges thrown down to them,
skillful pitchers would heave shovels
full in their faces. The maskers were
the especial objects Of attack, and
proved themselves adopts in the art Of
throwing dust in their neighbors' eyes.
And thus the fun went on, fast and
furious, without cessation, till the bell
on the tower tapped the hour of five,
when the lime pitchers began to throw
down from the balconies such things
as boquets of flowers, candies, oranges,
cakes, and even bushels of sausages
link by link, apparently with the OBJ
iect of witnessing the wild scramble of
the coatadiina for their possession, and
the consequent arrogance of passers
who were caught in the whirlpool of
contention for the falling prize. Next
the lime men emptied their baskets on
the heads of the crowd; threw down
the shovels, baskets, mats, strips of
carpet, overgarments, caps, masks, &c,
to be contended for by the crowd, and
then retired, and gradually the crowd
of a hundred thousand dispersed,
white as millers, to their home.
In the evening at s the crowd was
again in the streets, and the cathedral
sanare, which was for the first time
lighted up with the new electric light
In the center Of the square pavilion