220 SUTA. 



At seven in the evening we arrived at 

 Suta, a considerable village. We alighted 

 at the house of the Juez Politico, or chief 

 magistrate of the place, a friend of Pipe's, 

 who received us with great good humour. 

 On being ushered in, we found tlie house 

 crowded. It was festival time, and most 

 of the company were gambling. They rose 

 on our entrance ; but I observed a holy 

 padre so intent on the dice that he never 

 looked at us. On enquiry, T found that the 

 curates of the different villages are much 

 addicted to gaming. 



After an excellent supper, our host con- 

 ducted us to the chief plaza of the village, 

 where we entered a long dwelling, resem- 

 bling a barn; here were assembled all the 

 females of the place, old and young : some 

 standing, some on benches, and others 

 seated in the Turkish style, on the floor. 

 The door was almost blocked up by the 



