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PERU. 



tremely regular in their attendance upon mass ; 

 indeed, the women in these countries form the 

 congregations almost exclusively. At the houses 

 where we called in the morning, we usually found 

 the ladies dressed very gaily to receive visitors ; 

 that is, male visitors, for we seldom met any but 

 the ladies of the house on these occasions. In 

 the evening, the same thing generally takes place; 

 and our chance of meeting the gentlemen of the 

 family, had we wished it, was always least at their 

 own home. 



In the cool part of the day, for about an hour 

 and a half before sunset, the ladies walk abroad, 

 dressed in a manner as far as I know unique, and 

 certainly highly characteristic of the spot. This 

 dress consists of two parts, one called the Saya, 

 the other the Manto. The first is a petticoat, 

 made to fit so tightly that, being at the same 

 time quite elastic, the form of the limbs is ren- 

 dered distinctly visible. The Manto, or cloak, is 

 also a petticoat, but, instead of hanging about the 

 heels, as all honest petticoats ought to do, it is 

 drawn over the head, breast, and face ; and is 

 kept so close by the hands, which it also conceals. 



