with taste and skill. A New Mexican female, in preparing
herself for these balls, is very particular in making, by the aid of
cosmetics, her complexion as light as possible. She first uses a red
berry which stains her face almost to the color of brick and renders
her excessively ugly; this she leaves on several hours, when it is
washed off and chalk is applied so freely as to render it easily
perceptible. In her toilet she is also very particular, as far as the
exterior is concerned, and in the _fandango_ the stranger's eyes are
taken by storm by the gaudy colors he sees rather than the neatness of
the dress. The floor of the dancing-room is usually the mother earth,
which is frequently sprinkled with water to keep down the dust. The
men are in their everyday habiliments, with the addition of any clean
thing they may chance to possess; but, usually they are a motley
crowd, a glance at whom at first leaves the impression that they
are far from being refined. Except when dancing, they cling to their
blankets, and at the least pause in the proceedings, they at once
draw forth the materials and make their cigarettos. Both men and women
indulge in these articles; and oftentimes when the dance is in full
blast, the air of the room is densely charged with the smell of
the burning _punchi_, a species of tobacco, making it anything but
agreeable. The women are seated on benches along the walls of the
building, by themselves, while the men congregate in knots together.
On the commencement of a figure, the Mexican selects his partner and
notifies her that she is his choice by making a signal to her with
his hand, when she takes her position in the dance. The eyes and the
latent smile on the face of the "dark eyed senorita" shows she is
enjoying herself. The men exhibit their pleasure in a more boisterous
manner; that is, by occasionally whooping and cracking jokes.
Gambling[18] is carried on under the same roof; and in this both men
and women join as long as their money lasts. Then they make room for
others who are anxious to try their fortunes. This vice is truly of
a national character, and so given to it are these people, that they
will part with anything to support their appetite. To their credit
it can be said, that the New Mexican women indulge but sparingly in
alcoholic liquor; but the men are prone to the intoxicating cup. They
often anticipate the evil effects of drink, and it is not unfrequent
to see a New Mexican assumi