184 DRESS OF THE LIMA LADIES. 



and drawn together underneath with silk ; they 

 are so thickly laid that the dress is elastic^ and 

 defines the figure as nicely as possible ; this is 

 confined in a binding, just large enough to hook 

 round the waist, and reaches to the ancles ; they 

 are generally black or brown, but the lower 

 classes wear them of lighter colours, much orna- 

 mented with lace and pearls. A black silk man- 

 tle, or thick elastic guaze, is then tied round the 

 waist, and drawn up behind over the head 

 like a hood or friar^s cossack, concealing the 

 arms, and so held by the hand as to completely 

 hide every part of the face except one eye. It 

 is worn as our pelisses, over the ordinary dress, 

 and is not only inelegant, but extremely indeli- 

 cate ; it forms such a perfect mask, that no man 

 knows his wife or daughter, and affords such a 

 disguise that the females go where they please, 

 even at night, without fear; and it is a good 

 comment upon the extreme laxity of morals, 

 which is said to prevail in all classes of society/^ 

 In doors, the ladies are very untidy ; in the 



