Ch. VL SOUTH AMERICA. 403 



he never moves from the fire-fide, till obliged to com€ 

 to table, or wait on his acquaintance. The only do- 

 meftic fcrvice they do, is to plough their chacarita, or 

 little fpot of land, in order to its being fown but 

 the latter, together with t-he reft of the culture, makes 

 another part, v^'hich is alfo done by the v/ife and 

 children. When they are once fettled in the above 

 pofture, no reward can make them ftir ; fo that if a 

 traveller has loft his way, and happens to come to any 

 of thefe cottages, they hide t'hemlelves, and charge 

 their wives to fay that they are not at home ; when 

 the whole labour confifts in accompanying the tra- 

 veller a quarter of a league, or perhaps lels, to put 

 him in his way : and for this fmali fervice, he would 

 get a rial, or half a rial at leaft. Should the pafTenger 

 alight and enter the cottage, the Indian would ftill be 

 fafe for having no light but what comes through a 

 hole in the door, he could not be dilcovered : and 

 even if he fhould fee the Indian, neither entreaties 

 nor offers would prevail on the flothful wretch to ftir 

 a ftep with him. And it is the fame if they are to be 

 employed in any other bufinefs. 



That the Indians may perform the worlcs appointed 

 by their mafters, and for which they are properly 

 paid, it will be of little fignification to fhew them 

 their taflc'; the mafter muft have his eye continually 

 iipon them : for whenever he turns his back, the Indian 

 immediately leaves off working. The only thing im 

 which they fhew a lively fenfation and alacrity, is for 

 parties of pleafure, rejoicings, entertainments, and 

 efpecially dancings. But in all thefe the liquor muft 

 circulate brilkly, which feems to be their fuprem^ en- 

 joyment. With this they begin the day, and continue 

 drinking till they are entirely deprived both of fenfe 

 and motion. 



Such is their propenfity to intemperance, that they 

 ^re not reftrained by any dignity of charafter ; the 

 ^:ajcique ^nd the alcalde never fail to be of the com- 



P d 5 pany, 



