A CARPET OF FLOWERS.

Star (Christchurch), Issue 5760, 2 January 1897, Page 2

A CARPET OF FLOWERS.

(Sfrand Magazine.)

Not many of the butterfly visitors to Teneriffe havo had an opportunity of witnessing the great fiesta, which is very justly tho pride of the natives. It is in the Villa Orotava that the festival of flowers takes place — that beautiful, picturesque, and aristocratic old town which clings to the slope of tho valley, right under the protecting wing of the maiesfcic Peak.

It has been the custom for many years, on the feast of Corpus Christi, to boar tho Sacred Host inproces^n through the streets, returning fco the qftuifc little church by a slightly different rouxe. The streets traversed by this solemn procession are literally carpeted with flower-petals by the devout natives, who possess extraordinary skill in working elegant designs. For several weeks before the great day, flowers of all kinds are assiduously collected in baskets from tho inexhaustible gardens round about. After these have been sorted, according to colour, they are torn to pieces and converted into opulent heaps of fragrant petals.

At dawn, on tho morning of tho fiesta, moulds of wood and cardboard ar« placed in position ; and, later on, the baskets of petals are brought forward by scores of willing workers. Then, patiently and skilfully, the practised "artists" begin to fill iv the designs with glowing petals. The background — tho full width of each street excepting the footpaths—is usually of an effective darkgreen, composed of chopped heather. The carpet-designs differ each year ; and, as a rule, one design runs the wholo length of a street, carried out in many combinations of colour.

Tho street corners are adorned with larger and more ambitious pictures. Several houses en route, too, are noted for their own individual efforts — notably, the residence of the Monteverde family, beforo which, on the great day itself, may be seen an admiring crowd, studying the beautiful allegorical and religioiis devices wrought in flower-petals on the ground. When all the colouring' is deftly filled in, the moulds are withdrawn, leaving tho always picturesque streets carpeted with many-coloured flowers. The artists' handiwork is then carefully sprinkled with water, so as to keep it fresh until the procession shall come and tread it almost out of

existence. Of course, the steepness of the streets adds materially to the unique beauty of the entire spectacle, because . many of the floral " carpets " seem to be hung, so to speak, before one's eyes. For two or three hours or so an invariably well-conducted crowd, in gala dress, streams up and down the pavements, halting here and there to admire the more striking designs. Among these good folk ono searches in vain for a single heavybooted barbarian, longing to run amuck among the lovely flower-carpets. Tho clever designers never dream of the possibility of such ebullitions among the gentle, pious holiday-makers; nor need they fear inclement weather. As the hour approaches, most of the spectators betake themselves to the church, while the handful of strange visitors seek points of vantage — fiat roofs and balconies — from which to view the procession and consequent immolation of the " carpets." The view of the whole function from above is truly lovely ; the streets stretching away on overy hand in the guiso of gorgeous strips of variegated colour. At the little "broadway" beyond, perhaps, is an irregular square, on which is vividly shown, in flower petals, a white cock, a monstrous cross, a crown of thorns, a golden chalico wonderfully shaded, and many other emblems of the Passion — all standing out a.gainst ! a pure white background. At last, just as the light begins to fade and the air becomes somewhat cooler, jingling bells announoe that the procession has left; the little church.

Presently the entire pageant comes into view — white- robed boys, priests in splendid vestments, ancl serried lines of chanting, crimson-robed " Brothers of the Lord." At this moment tho different effects of colour are very striking, as the procession moves through the flower-carpeted street. Seen from above, the red kerchiefs which cover the women's heads form a glowing mass, rivalling the wide-spread petals in variety, if not in beauty, of colouring. But the procession has faded in the distance now ; the band strikes up a march, and the crowd surges into its wake. Coachmen rush off by side-streets to get their vehicles, and then one realizes, swiftly, the full extent of the floral holocaust. Nothing remains but a scattered, pitiful covering of bruised petals, from which a faint perfume is wafted up appealing];," to those who have witnessed the strange scene.