450 ULLOA*S VOYAGE TO SOUTH AMERICA. 



fciences they demonftrate a great deal of judgment and vivacity, but are very deficient 

 in hiftorical and political knowledge, as well as other fciences, which improve the hu- 

 man underftanding, and carry it to a certain degree of perfection not otherwife attain- 

 able. This is, however, their misfortune, not their fault ; being owing to the want of 

 proper perfons to inftrud them; for with regard to thofe who vifit this country on 

 commercial affairs, their minds have generally another turn, and their whole time is 

 devoted to acquire riches. Thus after feven or eight years of fcholaflic inllruftion, 

 their knowledge is very limited ; though endowed with geniufes capable of making the 

 greateft progrefs in the fciences. 



In the women of rank here, their beauty is blended with a graceful carriage and an 

 amiable temper ; qualities indeed common to the whole fex in this part of America. 

 Their children are always educated under their own eyes, though little to their advan- 

 tage, their extreme fondnefs preventmg them from feeing thofe vices which fo often 

 bringv youth to ruin and infamy ; nor is it uncommon for them to endeavour to hide 

 the vices of the fon from the knowledge of the father ; and in cafe of detection, to 

 interpofe paffionately in defence of their favourite^ in order to prevent his being properly 

 correfted. 



This country is obferved to abound more in women than men ; a circumftance the 

 more remarkable, as thofe caufes which in Europe induce men to leave their country, 

 namely, travelling, commerce, and war, can hardly be faid to fubfift here. Numbers 

 of families may be found in this country, that have a great variety of daughters, but 

 not one fon among them. Nature alfo in the male fex, efpecially thofe who have been 

 tenderly brought up, begins to decay at the age of thirty ; whereas the females rather 

 enjoy a more confirmed ftate of health and vigour. The caufe of this may, in a great 

 meafure, be owing to the climate ; food may alfo contribute to it ; but the principal 

 caufe, I make no doubt, is their early intemperance and voluptuoufnefs ; this debili- 

 tates the ftomach, fo that the organs of digeftion cannot perform their proper office ; 

 and accordingly many conllantly eje£t their victuals an hour or two after their meals. 

 Whether this be owing to a cuftom now become natural, or forced, the day they fail 

 of fuch ejection, they are fure to find themfelves indifpofed. But amidft all their weak- 

 neffes and indifpofitions they live the general time, and many even arrive at a very ad- 

 vanced age. 



The only employment of perfons of rank, who are not ecclefiaftics, is from time to 

 time to vifit their eitates or chacaras, where they refide during the time of harveft ; but 

 very few of them ever apply themfelves to commerce, indolently permitting that lucra- 

 tive branch to be polTefled entirely by the Chapitones or Europeans, who travel about 

 the country, and purfue their interefl with great afliduity. Within the city, however, 

 fome few Creoles and MeftizosXo far overcome their indolent difpofitions as to keep- 

 ihops. 



'I'he want of proper employments, together with the floth fo natural to the inhabi- 

 tants of this country, and the great negleft of education in the common people, are 

 the natural parents of that fondnefs fo remarkable in thefe parts for balls and entertain- 

 ments ; and thefe at Quito are both very frequent, and carried to fuch a degree of 

 licentioufnefs and audacity, as cannot be thought of without deteftation ; not to men- 

 tion the many tumults and quarrels which thence derive their origin. But fuch brutality 

 may be confidered as the natural confequence of the rum and chicha, which on thefe 

 occafions are drunk in enormous quantities. It tnufl, however, be remembered, that 

 no perfon of any rank or character is even feen at thefe meetings, their feilivity being 

 conduded with the llri^lefl decency and decorum. 



Rum 



