it used in the churches, and in military uniforms. I have also seen beautiful gold embroidered ball-dresses, but they are nearly out of fashion. . . . .We hear that General , though still ill, is likely to recover.
25th.—This being the day of Santiago, the patron saint of Spain, Cn was invited by the padres of San Francisco to attend mass in the church there. We were shown to the tribuna (gallery) of the Countess de Santiago, where they gave us chairs, and put down a piece of carpet. Cn and the rest of the legation were in the body of the church, in velvet chairs, with lighted tapers in their hands. The saint was carried in procession, going out by the principal door, making the tour of the streets, and returning by a side door. The music was pretty good, especially one soprano voice. Twelve little boys were placed on crimson velvet benches, on either side of the altar, representing pilgrims of Galicia, (of which Santiago is the capital) handsome little fellows, belonging to respectable families, dressed in robes of dark green or crimson, or violet colored velvet, with falling lace collars, and the neck ornamented with gold and silver shells; a large pilgrim's hat fastened on behind, and hanging down, and in their hands staffs with gold bells. They were beautiful children, and all behaved with becoming gravity and decorum during the ceremony, walking with much dignity in the procession.
After the funcion, we went out to Santiago, an old church near Mexico, where the Indians annually come in procession on this day, and sell their
