272 A V 6 Y A G E T O Book V. 



their time, and to the natural floth and idlenefs of 

 others. 



The common people and Indians are greatly ad- 

 di6led to theft, in which it muft be owned they are 

 very artful and dextrous. The domeftics alfo can- 

 not be faid to be entirely free from this fault, which 

 is attended with the inconvenience of referve and fuf- 

 picion on the part of their mafter. The Meftizos do 

 not want for audacity in any kind of theft or robbe- 

 ry, though in themfelves arrant cowards. Thus, even 

 at an unfeafonable hour, they will not venture to at- 

 tack any one in the ftreet ; but their common prac- 

 tice is, to fnatch off the perfon's hat, and immediate- 

 ly feek their fafety in their flight ; fo that before the 

 perfon robbed can recover himfelf the thief is out of 

 fight. However trifling this may feem, yet fome- 

 times the capture is very confiderable ; the hats ge- 

 nerally worn by perfons of any rank, and even by the 

 wealthy citizens when drefled in their cloaks, are of 

 white beaver, and of themfelves worth 15 or 20 dol- 

 lars, or more, of the Quito currency, befides a hatband 

 of gold or filver lace, fattened with a gold buckle fet 

 with diamonds or emeralds. It is very rare that any 

 fuch thing as a robbery on the highway is heard of § 

 and even thefe may be rather accounted houfebreak- 

 ing, as they are either committed by the carriers them- 

 felves or their fervants. In order to execute their moft 

 remarkable pieces of villainy within the city, they fet 

 fire, during the darknefs of the night, to the doors of 

 fuch fhops or warehoufes, where they flatter themfelves 

 with the hopes of finding fome fpecie ; and having 

 made a hole fufficiently large for a man to creep 

 through, one of them enters the houfe, while the 

 others fland before the hole to conceal their accom- 

 plice, and to receive what he hands out to them. In 

 order to prevent fuch pra6tices, the principal traders 

 are at the expence of keeping a guard, which 

 patroies ail night through the ilreets where attempts 



