113 A VOYAGE To Boor VII. 



lliese are indeed the persons who compose the main 

 body of trade. Besides these there are great num- 

 bers of inferior traders, whose capitals do not exceed 

 fifty or a hundred thousand crowns. The paucity 

 of immense fortunes amidst such advantages is 

 doubtless owing* to the enormous expenccs ; whence, 

 though their gains are great, they can hardly sup- 

 port their credit ; so that after paying the fortunes 

 of their daughters, and tlie establishing their sons, 

 the wealth of most families terminates with the life 

 of him who raised it, being divided into as many 

 small stocks as he had dependents ; unless some» 

 either by industry or good fortune, improve the por- 

 tion they obtained by iiiheritunce. 



The inhabitants of Lima have a natural dispo- 

 sition and aptitude for commerce, and the city may 

 be considered as an academy to which great num- 

 bers repair to perfect themscíves in the various arts 

 of trade. They botli penetrate into the finesses of 

 the seller, and artfully draw the purchaser intotlieir 

 views. They are blessed w ith a remarkable talent of 

 persuasion, at the same time that they arc incapable 

 of being persuaded, as well as of artfully -eluding 

 objections. They aiiect to slight v»hat they are most 

 desirous of purchasing, and by that means often make 

 very advantageous bargains, which none can obtain 

 from them. But after all these precautions and 

 finesses in buying and selling, ibr which they are so 

 distinguished, none are more punctual and honour-^ ' 

 able in performing their contraéis. v-4t* 



Besides the shops v. here stuils and goods of thaí¿^ 

 kind are sold, there are others for snuif ; and in these 

 may be purchased the wrought phite, which is bought 

 in the Cities near the mines, where it is made. 



The wholesale traders, who have large warehouses., 



are not above keeping shops where they sell by retail, 



which is reckoned no diigrace ; and thus they gain 



tha,t profit which they must otherwise allow to otiiers. 



o And 



