Page:The Present State of Peru.djvu/286

244 motions of the body, directing the view to every side with an affected languor, and with such gestures as would excite laughter in spleen itself. They speak like a treble, addressing and treating each other as if they were nymphs. But my pen, unaccustomed to such descriptions, whatever pains it might take, would no doubt leave the portraiture imperfect. The celebrated adventure which befel me a few days ago, will shew that the copy resembles the original.

My imagination being wholly occupied by what I had witnessed, I could not do less, when I saw my host, than acquaint him how much I had been surprized at this rare phenomenon. He, who was very familiar with this description of beings, replied to me carelessly, that these defects, as they were not carried to an excess, were little deserving of my notice; but that if I wished to be amused, and to form a competent idea of the mode of thinking of these singular men, he would take me that evening to a ball which was to be given, to celebrate the birth-day of one of the parties. I gladly accepted his offer, and as soon as the appointed time was arrived, we repaired to the house of festivity. The entrance had fallen into decay through the lapse of time. Having passed the court-yard, we came to a hall which had not any other covering than the sky, nor any other furniture beside the mouldy walls. We next proceeded to the parlour, which was regularly ornamented, and lighted with several tapers. At one of the sides I perceived a buffet covered with vessels of silver; but that which engaged all my attention, was a long bench, on which were seated a great number of negro and mulatto women, arrayed in the richest apparel. I could not help admiring this change of conditions, on seeing, in the guise of seignoras, those who in our