MENDOZA. 



67 



they come upon the Almeida, dressed with a great 

 deal of taste, in evening dresses and low gowns, 

 and completely in the costume of London or Paris. 

 The manner in which all the people seem to asso- 

 ciate together, shews a great deal of good feeling 

 and fellowship, and J certainly never saw less ap- 

 parent jealousy in anyplace. 



The people, however, are extremely indolent. A 

 little after eleven o'clock in the morning, the shop- 

 keepers make preparations for the siesta ; they 

 begin to yawn a little, and slowly to put back the 

 articles which they have, d.uring the morning, dis« 

 played on their tables. About a quarter before 

 twelve they shut up the shops, the window-shutters 

 throughout the town are closed, or nearly so, and 

 no individual is to be seen until five, and sometimes 

 until six oVlock, in the evening. 



During this time I used generally to walk about 

 the town to make a few observations. It was really 

 singular to stand at the corner of the right-angled 

 streets, and in every direction to find such perfect 

 solitude in the middle of the capital of a province. 

 The noise occasioned by walking was like the echo 

 which is heard in pacing by oneself up the long 



