A Southern Water Carnival

Duringf earnival time in some parts of South Ameriea there is a general revolt against nature and lier economy in withholding water nearly the whole year round. Water is showered from the housetops with wanton extravaganee, and all classes join in the frolic. When I arrived at Callao, says the author of "Tropical America," there was not a street where one could be sectfre against attacks from doorway, balcony or roof. At Lima, when mg tne Lathedral plaza at noon, we were subjected to a shower bath, and as the afternoon passed, the sport increased in intensity, every suocessful delivery from bueket or dipper beïng greeted with shouts of laughter. The servants in the hotel stationed themselves upon the roof, and for hours not a carriag-e nor a pedestrian went by without being saluted in approved earcival style. The Street was wet from sidewalk tosidewalk. Horses were whipped up, and men and boys ran briskly by, dode-incr the showers when they could. I saw hundreds of men and women showered duringr the day, but in no instance were there signs of resentment or anger. Dipper, pail and pitcher, however, are coarse and clumsy weapons of this mimic warfare. There are more refined instrumenta of torture known as chisguetes. These are toys by which ets of water can be thrown directly nto the eyes of an antagonist. ïiougniy-aressea men, sauntering through the plaza, feit at liberty to open their batteries upón anyone at land. There would be a quick movement of the assailant's hand, and a tream of water, of ten colored with ligment, would be diseharged directly nto the victim's face. Ladies were attacked in this way, and they only miled grimly. King Carnival reig-ned. iis subjects were on terms of equality.