nd, grasping me by the arm, we
started off at breakneck pace. As we almost rushed down the stony road,
he looked furtively to right and left, and told me that there were, no
doubt, persons in the neighborhood who had recognized him, and said
that, more than once, in this very neighborhood, he had been stoned
when selling bibles, and that any moment we ran our chances of a night
attack. Apparently, however, people were too much excited over carnival
to waste their time in baiting Protestants, and we heard no whizzing
missiles, and soon, reaching the corner shop, left the lantern, and went
home. There had been doubt as to whether trains would run the following
day, Tuesday, on account of carnival. I found, however, that the train
on which I had counted, leaving at seven in the morning, went as usual,
though it was the only train of the day for Progreso. My companions
were delighted to see me, and I found our sick man sure that death was
imminent; to tell the truth, he was constantly spitting black blood,
which oozed from his gums, and which gave me more concern than any of
his previous symptoms. We found the carnival at Progreso more natural
and unpretentious, but also far more lively and amusing, than anything
in Merida. To be sure, some of the performances bordered on the
indecent, but on the whole, it was jolly, and scarcely gave cause for
Manuel's pious ejaculation that there were many _abusos_. Groups of men
and boys went through the streets decked with ribbons and flowers, and
with their faces painted or daubed; many carried handfuls of flour,
or of blue paint, which they dashed into the faces or over the clean
clothes of those they met; bands of maskers danced through the streets;
companies of almost naked boys, daubed with colors, played _toro_ with
one who was inside a frame of wood. One man, completely naked, painted
grotesquely, pranced through the streets on all fours; young fellows,
dressed in women's clothes, with faces masked or painted, wandered about
singly, addressing persons on the street in a high falsetto voice with
all sorts of woeful stories or absurd questions. Very pretty was a
company of trained dancers,--with a standard, leader, music, and fancy
costume,--each of whom carried two staves in his hands; these performed
a variety of graceful movements, and sung a song in Spanish; this was
interestingly like the song of the _xtoles_, and the movements were
almost precisely theirs. In the evening, we at