:j8 a voyage to book I. 



The ufe of brandy is fo common, that the moft re- 

 gular and ibber perfons never omit drinking a glafs 

 of it every morning about eleven o'clock; alleging 

 that this fpirit flrcngthens the iiomach, weakened by 

 copious and coniiant perfpiration, and iharpens the 

 appetite. Hazer las onze, to take a whet at eleven, 

 that is, to drink a glafs of brandy, is the common in- 

 vitation. This cuftom, not efteemed pernicious hf 

 thefe people, when ufed with moderation, has degene- 

 rated 'into vice; many being fo fond of it, that, during 

 the whole day, they do nothing but hazer las on^. 

 Perfons of diííinílion ufe Spaniíh brandy; but the 

 lower clafs and Negroes very contentedly take up 

 with that of the country, extra6\ed from the juice of 

 the fugar- cane, and thence called Agoa ardente de 

 canna, or cane brandy, of which fort the confumption 

 is much the greatefi. 



Chgcolate, here known only by the name of 

 cacao, is fo common, that there is not a Negro flave 

 but con'fiantly allows himfelf a regale of it after 

 breakfalt ; and the Negro women fell it ready made 

 about the flreets, -at the rate of a quarter of a real 

 (about five farthings fíerling) for a difh. This is 

 however fo far from being all cacao, that the prin- 

 cipal ingredient is maize; but that ufed by the better 

 fort is neat, and worked as in Spain. This they con- 

 fiantly repeat an hour after dinner, but never ufe it 

 faliing, or without eating fomething with it. 



They alfo make great ufe of fweetmeats and 

 honey ; never fo much as drinking a glafs of water 

 without previoufly eating fome fweetmeats. Honey 

 is often preferred, as the tweeter, to conferves or other 

 fweetmeats either wet or dry. Their fweetmeats are- 

 ■eaten with wheat bread, which they ufe only with 

 thefe and chocolate ; the honey they Ipread on cafava 

 cakes. 



The paííion for fmoking is no lefs univerfal, pre>- 

 Tailin,g among perfons of all ranks in both fexes. The 



ladiee 



