Sacramento daily record-union. [volume] (Sacramento [Calif.]) 1875-1891, 1888-05-12
In YUCATAN.
A NOVEL MANNER OF CELEBRAT-
ING EASTER SUNDAY.
The Risen Lord Confessed and the
Occasion Honored With Balls
aud BuIlflgbts.

Especial Correspondence of the RECORD UNION.
MERIDA, Yucatan, May 4, 1888.
On Easter Sunday, as soon as Judas was
executed, grand high mass was next in
order, after which everybody repaired to
the paseo. As q rule, the fashionable
hour to appear in the alameda is 4oclocl1,
but on great Jfesta days people go there
directly from church. The paseo of Yucca
tan's capital is a broad, well-paved avenue,
with a line of stone benches on either
hand and beyond, on both sides, are car
riage roads, shaded by rows of trees. In
full view and lending picturesque beauty
to the scene rises the Castillo ruined
fortress of dark gray stone, and inside Of
it the towers of the old Franciscan con-
vent
Properly speaking, alameda means,
grove" and pdSeo a promenade. This of
Merida Is both and boulevard as WE'LL
Probably the most striking feature was the
catesds, two-wheeled carriages peculiar to
4ucatan. They are something like the
uolante, in common use in Cuba. Each
has body somewhat longer than that of
an old-fashioned gig, and much larger,
which rests on the shafts little in front
of the wheels. They are painted red.
with silken curtains to keep out the sun,
and are drawn by one horse, upon which
rides boy, the only driver. Each calesa
held two and sometimes three ladies-in
the latter case the prettiest senorita sat in
the middle and little in front-all with
out hats or wells and flowers in their
beautiful black hair.
There were also Il few coupes, wagon
cites, victorias, and two-wheeled gigs, and
numbers of golanS. The latter deserve
especial mention as in Yucatan most
journeys are made in them. A uolan is
constructed with an especial view to miti,
gate the roughness of the roads, and has
two big wheels, the body of the concern,
suspended upon high and very elastic
springs, being placed directly over the
axle. The shafts are very long and a
framework projects out in the rear, upon
which luggage may be carried 1t has a
canvas top, and is drawn by three mules
one in the shafts and one on either side
harnessed in by such combination of rope
and leather that one uninitiated could
not by any possibility disentangle them.
You cannot sit upright in golan, but
must recline-a la Cleopatra in her barge.
We sat down on one of the old stone
benches, in the midst of the
Merida, and thought we had never seen
anything more charming than the NOV
ing pageant. Few strangers have ever
been in this primitive Arcadia, to laugh
at the ancient customs Or to introduce new
ones, and an air of profound contentment
reigns supreme. The bare-headed young
ladies in the queer calicos certainly could
not have been happier or more satisfied
with themselves and all the world they
knew, had they occupied the most elegant
equlpages ever seen in New York or Paris.
As they rode along unattended, through
the moving mass of pedestrians, their
very innocence seemed to shield them
from insult. The bellies of Merida have
no boldness of manner, but on the con-
trary, an air of extreme modesty and sim
pllcIty, and a peculiarly sweet and gentle
expression.
Not less attractive in their way are the
mestizas female half-breeds) and the In
dian women. The former (meStizo, mascu-
line, mestizd, feminine) are the mixture of
Spanish and Indian blood, and by far the
handsomest people in Yucatan. They are
a gentle, docile, pleasure-loving race, not
altogether lazy, perfectly honest and re-
markedly Clearly in their habits. Though
three hundred years have gone by since
this territory was subjugated, many of the
ancient customs and costumes remain as
before the conquest.
The national dress of the Mayas, from
whom these people descended pronounced
My-yahs) was, for the women, two skirts
of fine white linen. The under one reaches
from the waist to the feet, and is called
pie; the upper known as uipd falls
from the shoulders, over the lower skirt,
to the knees. Both garments are en-
broidered in gay colors, and often edged
with lace. According to an ancient law
that there should be no button O: other
fastening on the Gpa, it is cut square, very
low in the neck, so that it can be easily
slipped over the head, showing to advan-
tage the brown but shapely shoulders of
the women.
In this part Of the world it is considered
the proper thing to salute an acquaintance
every time you meet him, though in
making the rounds of the paSeo it may be
about every three minutes. The ladies do
it very gracefully, by raising the right
hand till the tips of the fingers are about
on level with the eyes, and then flutter-
ing them up and down, seeming to beckon
you, rather than to give an ordinary sign
of recognition.
Next thing in honor Of Easter Sunday
and the risen Lord was grand c0rrida de
tOrroS, or bull fight, to begin at high noon.
Formerly the bull-ring occupied the
square of one of the churches-that of
San Cristoval-over whose door is
carved in large capitals; He est domus
Det; hic est porto coeii-(" Here is the house
of God; here is the gate of heavenly But
some years ago it was relocated to the
suburbs of the city. In the line of archi-
lecture, the present plaza de torrOs is as
curious and original structure as the late
Brigham Young's umbrella-like taber-
nacle. 1t is merely huge scaffold, per-
haps 1880 feet in circumference, erected
and held together without nail, being
made of poles Just as they were cut from
the woods, bound together with withes.
The interior is inclosed by long poles,
crossing and interlacing each other; and
in like manner is divided into boxes by
interlacing poles. The whole forms
gigantic frame of rustic lattice-work, ad-
mirably adapted to the hot climate, and
its arbor-like appearance is assisted by
the roof, which is merely thatch of
palm-leaves. 1t will hold 5000 or 5000
people, with the customary packing, but
when confusion and excitement reigns
high, the great scaffold trembles alarm
ingly and sways to and fro.
At the end of every season it is torn
down, the material used for fre-wood. and
a new one constructed. Over the doors of
the boxes is written "Placo No. L."
" Place No. 2" etc, and there is consider
cradle choice in the seats, as one side is ex-
posed to the full blaze of the sun. Each
box has its separate proprietor, who stands
in his doorway inviting you to ascend,
holding in his hand little ladder of three
or four steps. For dos reales Us cents) one
gets front seat on the shady side, and
may remain all day-if he can endure to
witness so much of the barbarous sport.
On this sunny Sunday afternoon the