and waited till the procession came up.

It was headed by three priests, all richly dressed, one supporting a
large silver cross ten feet high, and each of the others bearing a tall
silver candlestick. They were followed by an Indian band, a motley
group, the leaders of which were three Indians, one supporting the head
and another the foot of a large violoncello. Next came a party of
Indians, bearing on their shoulders a barrow supporting a large silver
cross. At the foot of the cross sat the figure of Mary Magdalen, large
as life, dressed in red. Over her head was a blue silk mantilla, with a
broad gold border, and across her lap the figure of the dead Christ.
The barrow was ornamented with large glass shades, under which candles
were burning, and garlands and wreaths of flowers. This constituted the
whole of the ceremonial part of the procession, and it was followed by
a large concourse of Indians, men and women, dressed in white, all
carrying in their hands long lighted candles.

When the crowd had passed by we strolled to the Alameda. This is the
great place of promenade and paseo in Merida. It consists of a broad
paved avenue, with a line of stone seats on each side, and beyond, on
both sides, are carriage roads, shaded by rows of trees. In full sight,
and giving a picturesque beauty to the scene, rises the Castillo, a
ruined fortress with battlements of dark gray stone, and the spires of
the old Franciscan church rising inside, romantic in its appearance,
and identified with the history of the Spanish conquest. Regularly
every Sunday there is a paseo around the castle and along the Alameda,
and this day, on account of the fete, it was one of the best and gayest
of the year.

The most striking feature, the life and beauty of the paseo, were the
calesas. Except one or two gigs, and a black, square box-wagon, which
occasionally shame the paseo, the calesa is the only wheeled carriage
in Merida. The body is somewhat like that of an oldfashioned gig, only
much larger, and resting on the shaft a little in front of the wheels.
It is painted red, with light and fancifully coloured curtains for the
sun, drawn by one horse, with a boy riding him--simple, fanciful, and
peculiar to Yucatan. Each calesa had two, and sometimes three ladies,
in the latter case the prettiest sitting in the middle and a little in
front, all without hats or veils, but their hair beautifully arranged
and trimmed with flowers. Though exposed to th