3^ 
Travels into fi&f I N D I E S. Part III. 
Habits at ><î5>*^. 
Motrs, 
Breeches. 
Shirts. 
Arcaîuck. 
There is no 
Flax in the In 
dies. 
Girdle. 
(G H A P. XX 
Of the Habits at Agra. 
F Or fo many different Nations as are at Agra^ as well as in the reft of the 
Indies, there is pretty great uniformity in the manner of apparel -, and 
none but the Mahometans called Moors by the Portuguefe, diftinguifh them- 
felves outwardly by a particular kind of Coif, or head-attire, but in all 
things elfe, thq^ are cloathed as the reft. The Breeches of the Indians are 
commonly of Cotten-cloath, they come down to the mid leg, and fome 
wear them a little longer, fo that they reach to the Anckle. They who 
affe£t Rich cloathing, wear Silk breeches ftriped with different colours, 
which are fo long that they muft be plated upon the Leg, much in the fame 
manner as formerly Silk-ftockings were worn in France. 
The Shirt hangs over the Breeches, as the fafhion is all over the Le'vant. 
Thefe Shirts are faftened as the Verfians are, and heretofore had no greater 
opening than theirs ^ but becaufe the Moors Shirts are open from top to 
bottom, as their upper Garments, which they call C<2^^ are ^ many People 
at prefent wear them in that faftiion, becaufe they find them mote com- 
modious, being more eafily put on and off : Befides that when one is alone^ 
he may open them and take the frefti Air. 
WKen it is cold Weather, the Indians wear over their Shirt an Arcaîuck. 
or Juft aa corps quilted with Cotten.and Pinked, the outiide whereof is 
commonly of a fchite or Painted ftuff.' The colours upon them are fo good 
and lively ,that though they be foiled by wearing,yet they look as frefli again 
as at firft when they are waflied. They make the Flowers and other mote- 
ly colours that are upon the Stuffs with Moulds. 
Over the Arcaîuck they put the Caha, which is an upper Garment , bur- 
then it muft be luppofed the weather is not hot -, for if there be but theleaft 
heat, they wear no Arcaîuck^ and the Caha is put next the Shirt. The Caba 
of the Indians is wider than that of the Ferjîans, and I cannot tell how to ex- 
prefs the manner of it more intelligibly, then by faying it is a kind of gown 
with a long Jerkin faftened to it, open before, and pleated from top to 
bottom, to hinder it from being too clutterly. It hath a collar two fingers 
breadth high,of the fame Stuff with the reft,they button not that Veft as we 
do our Coats, but they fold it crofs ways over the Stomack -, firft from the 
right to the left, and. then from the left to the right. They tie it with 
Ribbons of the fame Stuff, which are two Fingers broad and a Foot long v 
and there are feven or eight of them from the upper part down to the 
Haunches, of which they only tie the firft and laftj and let the reft hang 
negligently as being more graceful. 
Thefe Cabas are commonly made of white Stuff, that's to fay of Cottai- 
cloath, to the end they may be the lighter, and the neater by being often 
wafhed ^ and that agrees with the faftiion of the Ancient Indians. I fay of 
Cotten-cloath, becaufe they ufe no other in the Indies, and have no Flax 
there : Neverthelefs fome wear them of Painted death, but that is not the 
Gentileft manner of Apparel, and when the Rich do not wear Wliitc they, 
ufe Silk, and chufe the broadeft Stuff they can find, which commonly is 
ftreaked with feveral colours. 
They ufe only one Girdle, whereas the Verjïans have two, nay and it is 
not very dear neither, being only of White-cloath, and it is rare to fee 
the Indians make ufe of the lovelyGirdles of P^ry?<?, unlefs they be wealthy 
perfons of Quality. 
Whert 
