about two hundred monks belonging to different orders, arrayed in
their dark robes, with hands and feet bare, and crucifixes
suspended from their necks. A short interval now succeeded, and
another party of monks dressed in white appeared, singing hymns
in honour of the Virgin. Next came a splendid couch surmounted
by a canopy covered with white silk and sparkling with gold and
jewels, upon which sat a waxen image of the Mother of God,
clothed in gorgeous apparel. Following this was another party of
white-robed monks, chanting a requiem for a departed soul, and
then a second interval. At the distance of perhaps twenty yards
from these came two monks bearing two large silver nails, then
two others bearing a spear and a rod, and then the body of our
Saviour stretched at full length upon the bier. After the bier
came two monks bearing two other nails, and then another two
bearing a small cross and a ladder. Here, again, there was
another interval, which was succeeded by a third white-robed
party likewise chanting a requiem. Next to these came about
twenty canons arrayed in scarlet; then another couch covered with
crimson velvet, which supported a figure of Mary Magdalen,
likewise in a sitting posture; then a second body of canons,
succeeded by about two hundred monks in black; after these
another guard of soldiers, and last of all a second military
band.

In spite of prejudice I could not avoid being deeply struck by
this solemn procession. The airs performed by the bands were
slow and mournful, the voices of the singers were deep and
musical, the dresses were rich to a degree of splendour, and the
whole was gone through with much apparent devotion. No doubt,
when regarded with the eye of reflection, the whole may seem
something worse than ludicrous, but it is impossible to witness
the scene and to reason on its propriety at the same time. As
long as the pageant is before your eyes you cannot avoid being
powerfully impressed by it; nor is it till after it has
disappeared that you are inclined to ask yourself why you gave
way to feelings of that nature. Yet among the natives I thought
I could observe a considerable degree of levity. It is true that
as many as were in the streets or at the windows dropped upon
their knees while the procession passed, but their careless looks
and suppressed smiles sufficiently proved that they knelt only
because they were obliged to kneel.

Commencing at the door of the chur