The record-union., 1891-03-08

women combine to overpower some un-
fortunate man. whom they carry bodily
and plump into the tank, ducking him
| repeatedly, sometimes holding him under
the water beyond the point OF safety.
1t should be mentioned that the carni-
val customs differ greatly in the various
countries of South America. and even in
the different cities of Peru, those of Lima
the more refined Capital, being less rude
| than those of interior villages. In most
| places little or no water is thrown, but
| perfumery, flowers, finely-cut tissue pa.
per, colored powder and -four instead. I
am writing particularly of the Arequipa
| of which was.''
| 1--WE were invited to participate in the
| sport in the house of the only United
States family resident in the city, and
were warned to come very early. Long be-
| fore the regulation horn for beginning we
tucked our gowns well under waterproof
| cloakS, donned oYer-shOes, veils, and
hoisted umbrellas, though the sun was
| shining brightly; yet in spite of precau-
| t1ons we received more than one "compli-
ment' in the shape of a shower-b BATH a
Upper OF Hour or a hail-storm of casca-
rones, while running the gauntlet of only
half block. Our friends house is yery
| high, and stands by itself, with no inner
court and the balconies not attached to
others; so that we were safe from out
| side invasion after the doors were Sc
curely barred. A fine balcony extends
around two sides, and this was partially
| screened with canvas awnings, atfording
line vantage ground from which to OBJ
serve proceedings without taking part in
| them. Two bushels of cascarones had
| been provided, a bath-tub filed with
| ruby-colored water, squirt-gun for each
| member OF the party; and luncheon was
| spread in the dining-room for the conso-
| latlon of those friends who might later be
made the victims OF our moist attentions.
| Words fail to depict the tumultuous con-
| fusion that reigned in Arequipa during
| those afternoons, growing wilder and
more furious toward the close of the day
! OF course business of every kind, except
that OF carnival, was entirely suspended,
and the streets were filled with yelling
mobs.eggs flying like snow-tiakes, water
! splaSh1ng by bucketS-full to the pave
| ments below, horns footing, horsemen
skurrylng up and down-everybody, ap-
| parently, gone stark, staring mad Some
| times an organized attempt was made by
body of men to take certain house by
assault; and presently the screams of
women, mingled with laughter and ex-
ultation, told that the attempt had been
| successful. The young Englishmen, of
whom there are twenty or more in Are
quipa, are known to be the worst carnival
lighters, not only on account of the energy
| and determination that characteriZes the
| race in contrast to the more easy-going
Latin-but because they have plenty Of
| money with which to purchase unlimited
| cascarones. Hereabouts, as in Mexico
| and other parts of Spanish America, all
Anglo-Saxonsa are designated by the COM
| mon. name of GringoS; and whenever
| came the cfy-"Los Gringoes! Los Grin
goes v1enen 1.-THE excitement increased
the street on tho dopble-auick, as usual
~ together III body, and everything
! lied before them. Again and again they
| stormed our impregnable casa~in front,
| in the rear, on both sides at once, trying
| strategy, surprise, force, and failing in
all; until. our own ammunition" ex-
hausted, trusty messenger was dis
patched to admit each of the dripping
gentlemen who would give his word Of
honor to leave all carnival play outside.
On the eve before Ash Wednesday, car
nival was ended by the formal burial of
| the spirit OF the season. A procession Of
hundreds OF men on horseback with
bands playing and banners flying, pro-
ceeded to the Campo, or open fields be-
yond the city, carrying in the midst the
stuffed effigy of a fat, jolly-faced man in
the uniform of naval officer, seated in a
miniature full-rigged ship. A great grave
had been dug, and in it they placed the
| figure with appropriate ceremonies and
volleys of musketry.
@During all the week. while the upper
classes We're thus 'diverting themselves,
los PobreS (the poor) particularly the In
dians, were celebrating the occasion in
| their own peculiar fashion. How many
barrels of chicha were consumed there is
no disciple of the w. c. T. U. here to
enumerate-but certainly enough to keep
all that numerous portion of the popula-
ton considerably more than "half seas
over" Every chicharea was filled with
| music, dancing and sounds of Chola rev.
| elry; but the Indians, who are distinct
i've class by themselves, seemed to have
| much the best of it. Looking out at any
| time of day or night, one could see groups
OF them, dressed in their fiesta best, and
gaily bedecked with feathers and gar
lands OF fiowers-the men with reed flutes
and mandolins of home manufacture, the
bowls of the latter being composed of
hairy armadillo shells-all singing,
chattering, dancing and shouting.
Watching a company of these, far as
the eye. can reach up and down the long
thoroughfare, one sees that they keep it
up untiringiy, never faltering for a mo-
ment in their dancing, singing and
music-making. One dusky belle, then
another. whirls into the middle of the
stony street, singing shrilly, while the
men spin like tops in circle around her.
1t is difficult to catch much of their song,
except the constantly repeated words
"Hay- car-nee-val'-the last word ac-
cented strong on the final syllable and
hay pronounced i-e), meaning ''there
Is" or we have" It is noticeable that,
in spite Of their conviviality, the various
tribes never mingle socially, but Az
maras,. Quichuas and Auracanas retain
each the dress and manners of his own
people and will have nothing to do with
representatives of any other tribe.
Having occasion to visit a dentist the
day after carnival-perhaps the natural
result of several drenchings-we found
the streets in singular condition. Peo-
pie literally walked on egg-shells,r the
Pavements being thickly covered with
them, while the walls of the houses,
doors, windows, even the stones of the
street, were streaked and stained a hue
like human gore, as though most san
culinary conflict had occurred. Every
body's premises must be scrubbed and
painted, and it will be month before the
city assumes its natural appearance.
FANNIE B. WARD.
A VERY QUEER FAMILY.
All the Seven Children Have Peculiar
Cha rhrfariSfieS