38 A V O Y A G E T O Book I. 



The ufe of brandy is fo common, that the moft re- 

 gular and fober perfons, never omit drinking a glafs 

 of it every morning about eleven o'clock ^ alledging 

 that this ipirit ftrengthens the fcomach, weakened by 

 copious and conftant peilpiration, and fharpens the 

 appetite. Hazer las onze, to take a whet at eleven, 

 that isj to drink a glafs of brandy, is the common in- 

 vitation. This cuftom, nor eftc^med pernicious by 

 thefe people, when ufed with moderation, has degene- 

 rated into vice many being io fond of it, that, during 

 the whole day, they do nothing but hazer las onze. 

 Perfons of diilindlion ufe Spaniili brandy ; but the lower 

 clafs and Negroes very contentedly take up with that 

 of the country, extraded from the juice of the fugar- 

 cane, and thence called Agoa ardente de canna, or 

 cane brandy, of which fort the confumption is much 

 the greateft. 



Chocolate, here known only by the name of ca- 

 cao, is fo common, that there is not a Negro Have 

 but confcantly allows himfelf a regale of it after 

 breakfaft; and the Negro women fell it ready made 

 about the ftreetSj at the rate of a quarter of a real 

 (about five farthings fterling) for a difh. This is 

 however fo far from being all cacao, that the princi- 

 pal ingredient is maize ; but that ufed by the better 

 fort is near, and worked as in Spain. This they con- 

 Hantly repeat an hour after dinner, but never ufe it 

 fafting, or without eating fomething with it. 



They alfo make great ufe of fweetmeats and ho- 

 ney never fo much as drinking a glafs of water with- 

 out previoufly eating fome fv/eetmieats. Honey is of^ 

 ten preferred, as the fweeter, to confer ves or other 

 fv/eetmeats either wet or dry. Their fweetmeats are 

 eaten with wheat bread, v/hich they ufe only with 

 thefe and chocolate ; the honey they fpread on cafava 

 cakes. 



The paOlon for fmoaking is no lefs univerfal, pre- 

 ■ v^ifing aaiong perfons of all ranks in both fexes? The 



