104 A VOYAGE TO Book IV. 



Instead of lard, as at Carthagena and other places, 

 Ihey commonly ufe, in drefiing their food at Guaya- 

 quil, beef fuet. But whether the climate will not 

 permit the beails to acquire a proper degree of fat- 

 nefs, whether the iuet itfelf be not good, or whether 

 they are carelcis in feparating it from the tallow ; the 

 fmell and tañe of both are much the fame, which 

 render their diflies extremely nauleous to ftrangers; 

 and, what is little better, they feafon all of them with 

 Guiney pepper, which, though fmall, is fo very ftrong, 

 that the fmell of it, when whole, fufficiently declares 

 its furpriling aétivity ; lb thatperfons, not accufloraed. 

 to it, fufier either way. If they eat, their mouths 

 fecm in a flame ; if they forbear, they muft endure 

 hunger, till they have overcome their averfion to this 

 fcafoniug ; after which they think the Guiney pepper 

 the fineft ingredient in the world forgiving a relifli to 

 their food. 



The inhabitants of Guayaquil ^ffeS: great fplendour 

 in their formal entertainments; but the method of 

 them is not very agreeable to an European gueil. The 

 liril courfe confifls of different kinds of fweetmeats, 

 the fecond of high-feafoncd ragouts; and thus they 

 continue to icwe up an alternate fucceilion of Iweet 

 and high-feafoned difhcs. The common drink on 

 * thele occalions is grape brandy, there called Aqua 

 ardiciite dc Cafillla, cordials and wine: of all wliich 

 they drink iVecly during tlie entertainment, heigliten- 

 ing the pleafure by the variety ; but the Europeans 

 generally prefer wine.' 



The cullom of drinking punch has lately incrcafed 

 coniiderably in this city ; and, when drunk in modera-^ 

 íioi> is found to agsee very well with the conititutions 

 of this climate. Accordingly it has obtained greatly 

 among peribns of diftinélion. who generally drink a 

 glafs of it at eleven, and again in (he evening; thus 

 allaying their thirft, and at the lame time corredting 

 the water, which, beñdes the difagreeable talle com- 

 municated 



