Gh. IV. SOUTH AMERICA. 33 



ccpt, they go to mafs at three in the morning, in order 

 to difcharge that duty, and return before the violent 

 heat of the day, which begins with the dawn *. 



Women wear over their pollera a taffety petticoat, 

 of any colour they pleafe, except black j this is pinked 

 all over, to fhew the other they wear under it. Ori 

 the head is a cap of fine white linen, covered with lace, 

 in the fhape of a mitre, and, being well ftarched, ter- 

 minates forward in a point. This they call panito, 

 and never appear abroad without it, and a mantelet 

 on their fhoulders. The ladies, and other native Whites, 

 life this as their undrefs, and it greatly becomes theni; 

 for having been ufed to it from their infancy, they 

 wear it with a better air. In Read of flioes, they only 

 wear, both within and without doors, a kind of flip- 

 pers, large enough only to contain the tip of their feet. 

 In the houfe their whole exercife confifls in iitcing in 

 their hamm.ocks -f , and fwinging themfelves for air. 

 This is fo general a cuftom, that thefe Is not a houfe 

 without two or three, according to the number of the 

 family. In thefe they pafs the greatell part of the day ; 

 and often men, as well as women, deep in them, with- 

 out minding the inconveniency of not ftretching the 

 body at full length. 



Both fexes are obferved to be poflTeffed of a great 

 deal of wit and penetration, and alfo of a genius proper 

 to excel in all kinds of mechanic arts. This is parti- 

 cularly confpicuous in thofe who apply themfelves to 

 literature, and who, at a tender age-, fhew a judgement 

 and perfpicuity, which, in other climates, is attained 

 only by a long feries of years and the greatefl: applica- 

 tion. This happy difpofition and perfpicuity conti- 

 nues till they are between twenty and thirty years of 



* The heat is inconfiderable, compared with that of the after- 

 r*oon, till half an hour after funrife. A. 



t Thefe hammocks are made of twilled cotton, and commonly 

 knit in the manner of a net, and make no frnall part of the traffick 

 of the Indians, by whom they are chiefly made* A; 



Vol. I. D age. 



