Thus terminated this "_funcion extraordinaria_;" and when all was over, we
went to dine at Countess C---a's; had some music in the evening, and
afterwards returned home tolerably tired.

10th.--The fancy ball took place last evening in the theatre, and although,
owing either to the change of climate, or to the dampness of the house, I
have been obliged to keep my room since the day of the bull-fight, and to
decline a pleasant dinner at the English Minister's, I thought it advisable
to make my appearance there. Having discarded the costume of the light-
headed Poblamanas, I adopted that of a virtuous Roman Contadina, simple
enough to be run up in one day; a white skirt, red bodice, with blue
ribbons, and lace veil put on square behind; _a propos_ to which
head-dress, it is very common amongst the Indians to wear a piece of stuff
folded square, and laid flat upon the head, in this Italian fashion; and as
it is not fastened, I cannot imagine how they trot along, without letting
it fall.

We went to the theatre about eleven, and found the _entree_, though crowded
with carriages, very quiet and orderly. The _coup d'oeil_ on entering was
extremely gay, and certainly very amusing. The ball, given for the benefit
of the poor, was under the patronage of the ladies C---a, G---a, Guer---a,
and others, but such was the original dirtiness and bad condition of the
theatre, that to make it decent, they had expended nearly all the proceeds.
As it was, and considering the various drawbacks, the arrangements were
very good. Handsome lustres had superseded the lanterns with their tallow
candles, the boxes were hung with bright silk draperies, and a canopy of
the same drawn up in the form of a tent, covered the whole ball-room. The
orchestra also was tolerably good. The boxes were filled with ladies,
presenting an endless succession of China crape shawls of every colour and
variety, and a monotony of diamond earrings; while in the theatre itself,