404 A Voyage to Booíc. vl 



otherwise it will be impossible to draw their true cba- 

 iacter 



The Indians are in general remarkably slow, but 

 very persevering; and this has given rise to a pro- 

 verb, when any thing of little value in itself re- 

 quires a great deal of time and patience, * that it is 

 ' only iit to be done by an Indian.' In Aveaving car- 

 pets, curtains, quilts, and other stuffs, being unac- 

 quainted with any better method, at passing the woof 

 they have the patience every time to count the threads 

 one by one; so that two or three years is requisite 

 to finish a single piece. This slowness undoubtedh^ 

 is not entirely to be attributed to the genius of the 

 nation ; it ííows, in some measure, from the want of 

 a method better adapted to dis'patch. And perhaps 

 with proper instructions they would make conside- 

 rable progresses, as they readily comprehend whatever 

 is shewn them relating to mcchanicks : of this the 

 antiquities still remaining, in the pio\ince of Quito, 

 and over all Peru, are undeniable testimonies. But 

 of these more will be said in the seciuel. This in- 

 difference and tlilatoriness of the Indians is blended 

 with sloth, its natural companion ; and their sloth is 

 of such a nature, that neither their own interest, nor 

 their duty to their masters, can prevail on them to 

 Undertake any work. Whatever therefore is of abso- 

 lute necessity to be done, the care of it is left to the 

 Indian women. These spin, and make the half shirts 

 and drawers, vvhich constitute the whole apparel of 

 their husbands. They cook the matalotage, or food, 

 universally used among them ; they grind the barley, 

 formachca, roast the maize for the camchr., and biew 

 the chicha ; in the mean time, unless the master has 

 been fortunate enough to get the better of the hus- 

 band's sloth, and taken him to work, he sits squatting 

 on his hams (being the usual posture of all the In- 

 dians), and looks on his wife while she is doing the 

 necé.ssary work of the family ; but, unless to drink, 



he 



