Travels in the United States, etc.,: during 1849 and 1850./ By the Lady Emmeline Stuart Wortley.

TRAVELS IN AMERICA.
The corcel has his bridle generally adorned with numerous knots
of bright-colored wool, and the frontail has the same ornaments.
He himself has a somnbrero de paja, with an immense brim. A
brilliantly-colored scarf is tied round his waist, with the ends floating, zapatos de taflete (morocco leather shoes) of some gay color,
with silver spurs: from his beautifully-embroidered cinturon
(belt) hangs his machete, with a silver hilt encrusted with precious
stones, and there, too, is his dagger with its ebony handle. When
on business he is not ashamed to carry a sack fastened to his shoulders, and when on a pleasure-excursion, on the saddle of the
horse you may spy the guitarra and the quitasal of his fair selorita, the amiable guagira.
On his business-expeditions he goes from place to place, to Ingenio and Cafetal, to sell his fruits and collect his money. Then
he returns to eat an excellent dinner, and to smoke the most exquisite "cigarros elaborados por so mutjer 6' por su quterida. His
horse and his machete (after the qzuerida and Gnujer, we will
hope) are his greatest treasures. The vmac7hete is not only an indispensable weapon of defense against robbers, rivals, &c., but is
the article in which he exhibits his chief luxury and splendor, and
his corcel is also very necessary to him in this vida vagabunda in
w.hich he delights, and is often an object almost of adoration to
him. But the reader will be tired of guagiros.
There are many Chinese laborers here now, and they are said
to work very hard and well. Why do they not try them in Jamaica? It is said the Coolies have failed there. I was amused
at an anecdote concerning the Chinese, that Captain A, told
me the other day. It occurred when he was on the coast of China
in a merchantman-'I think at Canton. The ship was constantly
robbed at night, by very expert-not house-breakers, certainly, but
ship-breakers, I must call them. The weather was exceedingly hot
and close, and it was necessary to leave the port-holes open for air.
The cunning Chinese ladrones availed themselves of this circumstance, and introduced themselves into the apertures by night,
very adroitly and silently. Their toilet, it appears, was of the
most primitive possible description, and consisted wholly and solely
of a copious supply of oil to lubricate their bodiesd They thus
made themselves as slippery as eels,. and' if detected, eluded the
grasp of the victimized mariners, and plunged back into the water.
Their long tails (which would otherwise have afforded capital
handles) were abundantly provided with fish-hooks, sharp knives,
pins, nails, &c.-in short they were made quite a chevaux defrise
268