404 A VOYAGE TO Boo^ VI, 



otherwife it will be knpoffibk to draw their true cha-* 



The Indians are in general remarkably 0ovv, but 

 very perfevering : and this has given rife to a pro* 

 verb, when any thing of little value in. itfelf re- 

 quires a great deai of time and patience^ ' that it h 

 ' only fit to be done by an Indian.' In weaving car- 

 pets, curtains, quilts, and other fluffs, being unac^ 

 quainted with any better method, at paOing the woot 

 they have the patience every time to count the threads 

 dne by one *, fo that two or three years is requifite 

 to finifh a fingle piece. This flownefs undoubtedly 

 is not entirely to be attributed to the genius of the 

 nation J it flows, in fome meafure, from the want of 

 ^ method better adapted to difpatcb. Aed perhaps^ 

 with proper iailru^^ions they would make eonfidcr- 

 able progrefTes, as tl"tey readily comprehend whatever 

 is fhewn thern^ relating to mechanicks : of this the 

 antiquities ftill remaining, in the province of Quito, 

 and over all Peru, are mideaiable teflimonies. But 

 of thefe more vv^ill be f^id in the fequel. This in-- 

 dilference and diiatorinefs of the Indians is blended 

 w^ith floth, its natural companion ; and their floth is 

 of f'ich a nature^v that neither their own interefl,. nor 

 their duty to their mafters, can prevail on them to 

 tindertake any work. Whatever therefore is of abfo- 

 lute neceffity to be done, the care of it is left to the 

 Indian women. Thefe fpin> and make the half fhirts 

 and drawers^ which conftitute the whole apparel of 

 tijeir hufbands.- They cook the matalotage, or food, 

 iiniverfaily ufed- among them ; they grind the barley 

 for machca) roall the maize for the camcha, and brew 

 the chicha ; in the mean time, unlefs the mafler has . 

 been fortunate enough to get the better of the huf- 

 band's iloth, and taken him to work, he fits fquatting 

 9n his hams (being the ufual poflure of all the In- 

 dians), and looks on his wife while fhe is doing the 

 neceffary work of the faiiiily; but, unlefs to drink, 

 I' he 



