rning till five in the afternoon, it is very hot, yet
the evenings and mornings are very cool and pleasant; and in the hottest
time of the year, it is from six in the evening till two or three in the
morning that the people of this country meet to divert themselves with
music and other entertainments, at which there is plenty of cooling
liquors, as they are well supplied with ice from the neighbouring
Cordilleras. At these assemblies many intrigues are carried on: for they
think of nothing else throughout the year.

Their fandangoes are very agreeable; the women dance inimitably well, and
very gracefully. They are all born with an ear for music, and most of them
have delightful voices, and all play upon the guitar and harp. The latter,
at first, appears a very awkward instrument for a woman, yet that prejudice
is soon got over, and they far excel any other nation upon it. They are
extremely complaisant and polite; and when asked either to play, dance, or
sing, they do it without a moment's hesitation, and that with an exceeding
good grace. They have many figure-dances, but what they take most delight
in, are more like our hornpipes than any thing else I can compare them to;
and upon these occasions they shew surprising activity. The women are
remarkably handsome, and very extravagant in their dress. Their hair, which
is as thick as is possible to be conceived, they wear of a vast length,
without any other ornament upon the head than a few flowers; they plait it
behind in four plaits, and twist them round a bodkin, at each end of which
is a diamond rose. Their shifts are all over lace, as is a little tight
waistcoat they wear over them. Their petticoats are open before, and lap
over, and have commonly three rows of very rich lace of gold or silver. In
winter, they have an upper waistcoat of cloth of gold or silver, and in
summer, of the finest linen, covered all over with the finest Flanders
lace. The sleeves of these are immensely wide. Over all this, when the air
is cool, they have a mantle, which is only of bays, of the finest colours,
round which there is abundance of lace. When they go abroad, they wear a
veil, which is so contrived that one eye is only seen. Their feet are very
small, and they value themselves as much upon it as the Chinese do. Their
shoes are pinked and cut; their stockings silk, with gold and silver
cloaks; and they love to have the end of an embroidered garter hang a
little below the petticoat. Th