first-class wears a frock-coat, but the cloth jacket
is the costume of the greater number. A long-tailed dress-coat is
regarded as an _outre_ affair, and never appears upon the streets of a
Mexican town.

"_Gachupino_."--Page 9. A Spaniard of Old Spain. The term is used
contemptuously by the natives, or Creoles (Criollos), of Mexico, who
hate their Spanish cousins as the Americans hate Englishmen, and for a
very similar reason.

"_Hijo de algo_."--Page 9. Literally, "son of somebody." Hence the
word _hidalgo_. The "blue blood" (_sangre azul_) is the term for pure
blood or high birth.

"_Poblanas_."--Page 9. A _poblana_ is, literally, a village girl or
woman, but in a more specific sense it signifies a village belle, or
beauty. It is nearly a synonyme of the Spanish "maja."

"_Don Juan Tenorio_."--Page 9. Don Juan Tenorio--a celebrated character
of Spanish romance and drama. He is the original from which Byron drew
his conception of Don Juan. He is the hero of a thousand love-scrapes
and "_desafios_," or duels. The drama of "Don Juan Tenorio" still keeps
the Spanish stage, and Spaniards can hardly find words to express their
admiration of its poetry. It requires two nights to play this piece,
which is about twice the length of a regular five-act play.

"_Teniente_."--Page 9. "Lugar-teniente" is lieutenant in Spanish, but
the "lugar" is left out, and "teniente" stands for the title of the
subaltern.

"_Quien sabel_."--Page 10. A noted phrase which figures largely in
Spanish dialogue. Literally, "Who knows?"

"_Gambucinos and rancheros_!"--Page 10. _Gambucino_, a petty miner, who
digs or washes gold on his own account. _Ranchero_, the dweller in a
_rancho_, or country hut. The ranchero class corresponds pretty nearly
to that known as "small farmers," though in Mexico they are more often
graziers than agriculturists.

"_Enaguas_."--Page 10. Sometimes written "nagua,"--the petticoat,
usually of coarse blue or red cotton stuff, with a list of white or some
other colour forming the top part.

"_Reboso_."--Page 10. The scarf of greyish or slaty blue, worn by all
women in Mexico, except the ladies of the Upper Ten Thousand, who use it
only on occasions.

"_Allegria_."--Page 11. A singular custom prevails among the women of
New Mexico, of daubing their faces all over with the juice of a berry
called by them the "allegria," which gives them anything but a charming
look. The juice is of a purpli