334 V ulloa's voyage to south America. 



The drefs of the Whites, both men and women, differs very little from that worn in 

 Spain. The perfons in grand employments wear the fame habits as in Europe ; but 

 with this difference, that all their clothes are very light, the waiftcoats and breeches 

 being of fine Bretagne linen, and the coat of fome other thin fluff. Wigs are not much 

 worn here j and during our flay, the governor and two or three of the chief officers 

 only appeared in them. Neckcloths are alfo uncommon, the neck of the fhirt being 

 adorned with large gold buttons, and thefe generally fuffered to hang loofe. On their 

 heads they wear a cap of very fine and white linen. Others^ go entirely bareheaded, 

 <■ L , having their hair cut from the nape of the neck *. Fans are very commonly worn by 

 f*^"" men, and made of a very thin kind of palm in the form of a crefcent, having a flick of 

 the fame wood in the middle. Thofe who are not of the White clafs, or of any eminent 

 family, wear a cloak and a hat flapped ; though fome Mulattos and Negroes drefs like 

 the Spaniards and great men of the country. 



The Spanifh women wear a kind of petticoat, which they call pollera, made of a thin 

 filk, without any lining, and on their body, a very thin white waiflcoat ; but even this 

 is only worn in what they call winter, it being infupportable in fummer. They, how- 

 ever, always lace in fuch a manner as to conceal their breafls. When they go abroad 

 they wear a mantelet ; and on the days of precept, they go to mafs at three in the 

 morning in order to difcharge that duty, and return before the violent heat of the day, 

 which begins with the davvnf. 



Women wear over their pollera a taffety petticoat, of any colour they pleafe, except 

 black ; this is pinked all over, to fhew the other they wear under it. On the head is a 

 cap of fine white linen, covered with lace, in the fhape of a mitre, and, being well 

 flarched, terminates forward in a point. This they call panito, and never appear abroad 

 without it, and a mantelet on their fhoulders. The ladies, and other native Whites, 

 ufe this as their undrefs, and it greatly becomes them ; for, having been ufed to it from 

 their infancy, they wear it with a better air. Inflead of fhoes, they only wear, both 

 within and without doors, a kind of flippers, large enough only to contain the tip of 

 their feet. In the houfe their whole exercife confills in fitting in their hammocks {, and 

 fwinging themfelves for air. This is fo general a cuflom, that there is not a houfe with- 

 out two or three, according to the number of the family. In thefe they pafs the greater 

 part of the day, and often men, as well as women, fleep in them, without minding the 

 inconveniency of not flretching the body at full length. 



Both fexes are poffeffed of a great deal of wit and penetration, and alfo of a genius 

 proper to excel in all kinds of mechanic arts. This is particularly confpicuous in thofe 

 who apply themfelves to literature, and who at a tender age, fliow a judgment and 

 ^t. perfpicacity, which in other climates, is attained only by a long feries of years and the 

 greateft application. This happy difpofition and perfpicacity continues till they are 

 i between twenty and thirty years of age, after which they generally decline as fafl as 

 they rofe; and frequently, before they arrive at that age, when they ihould begin to 

 reap the advantage of their fludies, a natural indolence checks xheir farther pro- 

 grefs, and they forfake the fciences, leaving the furprifmg effeds of their capacity 

 imperfed. 



* Here, and in moll parts of South America, they have their hair cut fo fhort, that a flranger would 

 think evejy man had a wig, but did not wear it on account of the heat. 



f The heat is inconfiderable, compared with that of the afternoon, till half an hour after fun-rife. — A. 

 If. Thefe hammocks are made of twilled cotton, and commonly knit in the manner of a net, and make no 

 limail part of the traf&ck of the Indians, bv whom they are chiefly made. — A. 



6t The 



