Ch.L south AMERICA; ij 



are all Indians, and confift of near 400 families^ 

 who are all employed either as drivers of the mules 

 or fifhermen. The houfes of all thefe towns are 

 quite fimple; the walls confiding only of common 

 canes and reeds, fixed a little way in the ground, 

 with fiat roofs of the fame materials, rain being 

 hardly ever known here ; fo that they have fuSicient 

 light and air, both the rays of the fun and wind 

 eafily finding a pafi^age. The Indian inhabitants of 

 this place ufe a different language from that common 

 in the other towns both of Quito and Peru ; and 

 this is frequently the cafe in great part of Valles. 

 Nor is it only their language which diftinguiilies 

 them, but even their accent ; for befides their enun- 

 ciation, which is a kind of melancholy finging, they 

 contrad half of their laft words, as if they wanted 

 breath to pronounce them.. 



The drefs of the Indian women in thefe parts, 

 confifts only of an Anaco, like that of the women of 

 Qiiito, except its being of fuch a length as to trail 

 upon the ground. It is alfo much larger, but 

 without fieeves, nor is it tied round them with a 

 girdle. In walking they take it up a little, and hold 

 it under their arms. Their head drefs confifts of 

 cotton cloth laced or em.broidered with different co* 

 lours ; but the widows wear black. The condition 

 of every one may be known by their manner of 

 drefTing their hair, maids and widows dividing it 

 into two platted locks, one hanging on each fhoulder, 

 whilft married women braid all their hair in one. 

 They are very induilrious, and ufually employed in 

 weaving napkins of cotton and the like. The men 

 drefs in the Spaniih manner ; and confequently wear 

 fhoes ; but the women none. They are naturally 

 haughty, of very good underftandings, and differ 

 in fome cuftoms from thofe of Quito. They are a 

 proof of what has been obferved (Book \T. Chap. VJ. 

 vol. I.) with regard to the great improvement they 



receive 



