194 



THREE YEARS IN THE PACIFIC. 



women were bare legged to the knee. The former wore large, 

 full bottomed bragas, or breeches, and long woollen ponchos, 

 with tall, sugar-loaf-crowned, Guayaquil hats. Their legs were 

 of the true negro formation ; the calf gathered up close to the 

 knee, and a long, slim shank, attached to a broad, flat foot, with 

 the heels extending almost as far behind as the toes did forward. 

 The women had on ragged woollen petticoats, plaited full round 

 the waist j the bust was but illy concealed in a dingy chemise ; 

 the arms were bare ; a handkerchief or shawl was girt around 

 the hips, so as to draw the petticoat smooth over the abdomen, 

 and gather it up full behind, and shorten it withal. The hands 

 were sometimes akimbo, sometimes flung in the air, and the 

 figures leaned forward as they advanced and retreated in the 

 dance. The step was an awkward movement of quickly cross- 

 ing one foot over the other in front, without lifting it high 

 from the ground, only varied by an occasional hop, and accom- 

 panied by an indescribable wriggling of the hips. The dance 

 was disgustingly lascivious, and the voices of the females 

 coarse and disagreeable. The whole party were excited by 

 frequent potations of pisco and chicha. 



There were two Peruvian officers, of high rank, smoking, 

 and looking on the dance with great gravity. Their gorge- 

 ous uniforms, almost hidden in gold embroidery, contrasted 

 strangely with the squalid garments of the merry negroes. 

 Two or three asses, with serious faces, stood gazing quietly 

 on the scene. One water carrier leaned his head on his arms, 

 which were embracing the saddle bow of his donkey, with a 

 leg crossed and resting on the ground. His countenance was 

 distorted by a broad smile of approbation, that seemed to be 

 generating at the very bottom of his heart. The steeds of the 

 officers looked impatient, neighed, pawed the earth, and threw 

 up their heads. 



Before we left the tambo, two stage coaches drove up ; one 

 from Lima, the other from Callao. Both were filled with fo- 

 reigners, and one was completely shrouded in tobacco smoke. 

 Smoking in Peru is universal ; even ladies of the better classes 

 are not exempt from this practice. 



After ten minutes' rest, we again mounted, and pushed on 



