6% A VOYAGE TO Bodk VII; 



tion of their ladies, which are not to be paralleled in 

 any other part of the world. 



They are fo excefnvely fond of perfumes, that 

 they always carry ambergrife about them 5 putting 

 it behind their ears, and other parts of the body 5 

 and alfo in feveral parts of their cloaths. Not con- 

 tent with the natural fragrancy of flowers, which 

 are aifo a favourite ornament, they fcatter perfumes 

 even on their nofegays. The moft beautiful flower^ 

 they place in their hair, and others, which are moft 

 valuable for their odour they ftick in their fleeves * 

 the effluvia therefore ilTuing from thefe ladies, the 

 reader will conceive to reach to no inconfiderable dif^ 

 tance. The flower moft in ufe is the Chirimoya, 

 of mean appearance, but of exquifite fcent. 



To this pafllon for flowers it is owing, that the 

 grand fquare, every morning, on account of the 

 vaft quantity of beautiful vegetables brought thither, 

 has the appearance of a fpacious garden. The fmell 

 and the fight are there fufficiently gratified. The 

 ladies refort thither in their calaflies, and if their fan- 

 cy happens to be pieafed, they make but litde difli- 

 culty with regard to the price, A ftranger has the 

 pleafure of feeing aflembled here not only the ladies, 

 but every body of rank whole health and avocations 

 will admit of it. 



The lower clalTes of women^ even to the very 

 negroes, affed, according to their abilities, to imi- 

 tate their betters, not only in the fafliion of their 

 drefs, but alfo in the richnefs of it. None here are 

 feen v/ithout flioes as at Quito, but they are made of 

 fo fmall a flze, in order to diminifli the natural bignefs 

 of the feet, that they muft give infinite uneaflnefs in 

 the wearing. A deflre of being diltinguiflied by an 

 elegant drels is univerfal. I'heir linen is always 

 flarch'd to a great degree, in order to difplay the 

 coftly patterns of their laces. After this univerfal 

 pafllon, tiieir next care, and indeed a inuch more 



com-. 



