CHAP. IX. 



MANNERS AND CUSTOMS. 



171 



battle in his own salle-a-manger. Conversation turned upon 

 the merits of the Napoleons, and Giacometti entertained strong- 

 opinions about them, which did not coincide with those of a young- 

 Frenchman who had served in the cavalry, and taken part in the 

 combats around Metz. Presently, the gentlemen called each other 

 liar and coward, and then all at once they jumped up and charged 

 — Giacometti seizing a chair by its back and raising it with both 

 hands to brain his guest, who, however, eluded the blow, and 

 grappling with the maitre dliotel soon had him sprawling on the 

 floor, kicking and raving like a madman. Glasses and crockery 

 flew about, and the result would have been very serious (for the 

 china) had not two persons fallen upon the combatants and dragged 

 them apart. No sooner was the innkeeper released than he snatched 

 up a bottle, and again made towards the cuirassier to break it on 

 his head, but they were parted, and dragged yelling from the room 

 to finish the fray outside. The coarseness of their language would 

 have done credit to Billingsgate. I could not see that it was in 

 the least diminished by the low pressure reigning at Quito. 



From my windows at the hotel I looked out on one of the prin- 

 cipal streets, and had excellent opportunities of viewing the little 

 peculiarities of the Quitonians. Here, as well as in other parts of 



South America, it is correct for 

 ladies to cover up their features 

 when walking abroad, but I 

 found there was great laxity in 

 this matter, and that the lower 

 orders paid no attention to 

 such proprieties. The straw 

 hats of local manufacture were 

 not fashionable. Men wore the 

 black, chimney-pot hat of civil- 

 ization, and I have a story to 

 relate about something which 

 befel a black hat in Quito. 



A LADY OF QUITO. 



