33^ ULLOA's VOYACE TO SOUTH AIMERICA. 



ftanding in no need of them, difcountenance thefe adventurers. Affe^led by the diffe- 

 rence of the climate, aggravated by bad food, deje6\ed and tortured by the entire difap- 

 pointment of their romantic hopes, they fall into a thoufand evils, whi^h cannot well 

 be reprefented : and among others, that diltemper called Chapetonada, or the diftem- 

 per of the Chapetones, without any other fuccour to fly to than Divine Providence ; 

 for none find admittance into the hofpital of St. Juan de Dios, but thofe who are able 

 to pay, and confequently poverty becomes an abfolute exclufion. Now it is that the 

 charity of thefe people becomes confpicuous. The negro and mulatto free women, 

 moved at their deplorable condition, carry them to their houfes, and nurfe them with 

 the greateft care and affeftion. If any one die, they bury him by the charity they pro- 

 cure, and even caufe maiTes to be faid for him. The general iffue of this endearing 

 benevolence is, that the Chapetone, on his recovery, during the fervour of his grati- 

 tude, marries either his negro or mulatto benefaftrefs, or one of her daughters ; and 

 thus he becomes fettled, but much more wretchedly than he could have been in his 

 own country, with only his own labour to fubfift on. 



The difmtereftednefs of thefe people is fuch, that their compaflion towards the Cha- 

 petones muft not be imputed to the hopes of producing a marriage, it being very 

 common for them to refufe fuch offers, either with regard to themfelves or their daugh- 

 ters, that their mifery may not be perpetual, but endeavour to find them mafters whom 

 they may attend up the country, to Santa Fe, Popayan, Quito, and Peru, whither 

 their inclinatioiis or profpeds lead them. 



They who remain in the city, whether bound by one of the above marriages, or, 

 which is but too common, are in another condition very dangerous to their future 

 happinefs, turn Pulperos *, Canoeros, or fuch like mean occupations ; in all which, 

 they are fo harrafled with labour, and their wages fo fmall, that their condition in 

 their own country muft have been miferable indeed, if they have not reafon to regret 

 quitting it. The height of their enjoyment, after toiling all day and part of the night, 

 is to regale with bananas, a cake of maize or cafava, which ferves for bread, and a 

 fiice of cafajo, or hung-beef ; without tafting wheat bread during the whole year. 



Others, not a few, equally unfortunate, retire to fome fmall eftancia, where, in a 

 Bujio or ftraw hut, they live little different from beafts, cultivating, in a very fmall 

 fpot, fuch vegetables as are at hand, and fubfifting on the fale of them. 



What has been obferved with regard to the negro and mulatto women, and which 

 may alfo be extended to the other cafts, is, as to the charitable part, applicable to all 

 the women and whites ; who in every tribe, are of a very mild and amiable difpofition ; 

 and from their natural foftnefs and fympathy excel the men in the practice of that 

 chriftian virtue. 



Among the reigning cuftoms here, fome are very different from thofe of Spain, or 

 the moft known parts of Europe. The principal of thefe are the ufe of brandy, cho- 

 colate, honey, fweat-meats, and fmoking tobacco : all which fhall be taken notice of. 



The ufe of brandy is fo common, that the moft regular and fober perfons never 

 omit drinking a glafs of it every morning about eleven o'clock ; alledging that this 

 fpirit ftrengthens the ftomach, weakened by copious and conftant 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 invitation. This cuftom, not efteemed pernicious by 

 thefe people when ufed with moderation, has degenerated into vice ; many being fo 



* Pulperos are men who work in a kind of tent, called in Spanifh Pulperios, and the Canoeros are 

 watermen who carry goods in Pirogues or canoes. 



fond 



