of the western prairies, is now in my possession. It is not surprising, therefore, that we find saddle-bags spoken of in England eight hundred years ago, or that we find them, under the name alforjast among the people of every name who inhabit South America. There, the bottles of water and the drinking-cup are usually stowed, with anything else that the rider finds essential to his health and comfort.

It is well known that in early times, women rode astride, as men still do; and this is the position of the Amazons as shown by ancient sculpture. In Aubrey's splendid book Histoire Pittoresque de l' Equitation,‡ plate B, the general effect is given in the centre of the plate, and the details round the border. It appears also, that the hundred ladies who form part of the suite of the king of Persia, and who undertake journeys of several days' duration, all ride astride.§ It is not unlikely that the same practice existed in England, in the olden time, but of that I possess no evidence; one thing is certain however that equitation of this kind is habitual, among the common people on the west coast, especially in the neighbourhood of Lima. In the recent book of Señor Fuentes, among the many and interesting illustrations, there are five of this kind. They represent respectively a milk-woman, an itinerant melon-woman, a fish-woman from Chorillos, a zamba, and negroes. In the last example, the negress rides in front, and turns round patronisingly to address her husband, who sits behind her on the mule.

In writing Ancient Meols few subjects gave me so much

*" Corbus, sadul-boga.”—Alfric's Vocab.

+ Alforja, a wallet or double pouch.-Sp. Dict. In the end of the seventeenth century, English saddle-bags were commonly used to carry a supply of provisions, in difficult or dangerous districts.

Paris, 1833.

§ Aubrey's His. Pitt., plate P.

Lima: apuntes Historicos, Descriptivos, Estadisticos, y de Costumbres. Paris, 1887.

trouble as that of metallic ornaments on leather; for though the objects were before me, and though there was moral certainty as to the purposes which they had served, it was difficult to find either in history or pictorial illustration, instances perfectly parallel. Such instances were found however in reference to many countries; and thus the well known prevalence was shewn of uniformity of custom, among the various members of the human family. A still greater difficulty was experienced in reference to metallic tags or strap ends; but a reference to monumental brasses shewed their very extensive use a few centuries ago. In one of the cycles of fashion they have been reproduced, especially since the volunteers have been re-called into existence; and indeed studded straps have also become common both on ladies' dresses, and on the furniture connected with stationery.

JEWET

48. Tag, from Chile.

Now, a single headstall procured in Chile illustrates several of these artiIcles which have become obsolete at home. There is the double button or stud, fastening the termination of the leather without sewing; there is the buckle somewhat of the same type as the bosses; there is a metallic object purely ornamental; and finally the metallic tag. Thus, the head gear of a medieval English horse may virtually be seen in Chile to-day.

49. Stud.

But there is other and more primitive ornamentation, such as we can well conceive to have been employed by humble.

people or in remote districts of Britain. Those who have

50. Buckle.

seen Rosa Bonheur's picture of the muleteers crossing the Pyrennees, will remember what an interesting head gear of network and tassels in front, is displayed by each of the animals. Now the muleteers of Peru and Bolivia exhibit a similar taste; and sometimes a headstall in needlework, of

fine coloured wool, shows how much pride the arriero takes in his animal. In other cases, the band across the forehead and in front of the ears consists of a roll of coloured wool, and the more elaborate of these ornaments are manufactured by the wise women of Cochibamba in Bolivia.

LJEWITT

51. Ornament for Headstall.

Not unfrequently the harness consists almost exclusively of leather with scarcely even a ring to unite the parts. Pieces of thong are elegantly and skilfully knotted so as to form a complete button; and by means of this, and a corresponding button hole, almost any fastening can be effected. Thus the whip is fastened to the middle of the bridle rein, and is always uniform in kind. It lies over the croup, behind the rider when not in use. Thus also the "hobbles" are fastened round the pasterns of the forelegs, so that the animal is prevented from moving without the consent of his rider. Occasionally too, a piece of leather is pared down into fine threads; and these are used either in the

binding up of parcels or in forming beautiful tassels which drop between the ears of the horse or mule.

L JEWIT

52. Mule Decoration.

In the Inventorium Sepulchrale is figured a portion of a leathern belt beautifully carved into an openwork pattern; it was found in an AngloSaxon grave at Beakesbourne, in Kent, in 1773. This was stamped or embossed as well as carved, and similar examples have been found in other parts of England. At various places on the West coast, decorations remarkably like this are common. Muleteers who bring ore to the smelting works or carry supplies to the mine, are fond of decorating their animals with ornaments of carved leather.* Geometrical figures consisting of triangles, squares, and circles, with crosses intermingled, are cut out of a thick but pliant piece of leather. A layer of red baize is placed underneath as a background,

and both are then sewn down on another strong piece of leather. Two buttons of thong at the top make it easily attached or separated, and it is understood that it is not to be used in the wilderness, but at the mine or in passing through a town. Sometimes, for greater effect, little pieces of looking-glass are inserted, as in the case of one which Captain Faull was good enough to get made for me, at the Rio Salado mine.

In the little town of Tacna, I purchased from a llamero, for a few pence, a rope of llama wool; with which he was

Fig. 52 represents an ornament 24 inches long and 9 broad.

accustomed to adjust the burdens on the backs of the llamas themselves, ere they started for the table land of the interior. I expected it to be elastic, and therefore only useful to a limited degree; but I found it to be remarkably firm and flexible, and in every respect an excellent rope. In plaiting ropes of a more elegant kind such as those used for slings, a very beautiful appearance is given by the alternate use of black and white wool. Mr. Ledward who introduced the alpaca into Australia had one of these, which, from its variegated appearance, he called jocularly "the snake rope." The same appearance is produced in ropes plaited of thong, and a pair of hobbles in my possession, of black and white leather, are a beautiful illustration of the snake rope.

It is only necessary to add that like all primitive people,* the natives of remote districts are fond of glaring colours; and this is shown in the poncho, in the shawl or woollen scarf of a woman on horseback, and in various other ways.

The ox cart in South Chile is of very simple construction. The frame is a truncated isosceles triangle,† the narrow end being next the cattle; and across this a few bars are tied, while holes are bored at the sides in which sticks are occasion

A people of taste uncultivated, or but slightly so, have always a strong partiality for gaudy colours. The "coat of many colours," was Jacob's present to his favourite son; and almost every nation has adopted some form of the check or stripe, the former of which has been a great favourite, in comparatively modern times, with the Caledonian Gaels. Any one may observe, too, on a Sunday or holiday, in Wales, the most striking contrast of colours. Davy Morgan has his coat, waistcoat, and pantaloons of three separate colours, each the most intense of its kind; while Jenny Jones who walks by his side, has a hat black as the raven's wing, a cap which rivals the snow of Plinlimmon in whiteness, a yellow kerchief, a green gown, and the skirt of this last being tucked up, we have a glimpse of a crimson petticoat, as brilliant as if dyed with the celebrated red of "Bristow."-Two Essays on Spinning and Weaving.

+ Among the hills leading to Santa Juana, I noticed a frame which was a perfect triangle. It consisted of the bifurcation of two branches, with about a foot of the parent stem. Through this the pin was driven for the heads of the oxen; and across the two extremities the bars were laid. The furthest bar from the cattle was the base of the triangle; and the nearest to them was parallel, and bisecting the two sides.