The Wilmingtonian, and Delaware register. (Wilmington, Del.) 1824-1825, 1825-01-13

fore q circumstance which gave thehl
higher interest to us, and we frequently row.
ed about, in the cool hours OF the evening,
amongst their ranchas, or cottages, ana
were every where received with the utmost
frankness, and as far as the simple means OF
the inhabitants went, with hospitality. hey
were chiefly brickmakers, day-labourers
and washerwomen, who were always srati-
fled by the interest we took in their affairs
replying readily and cheerfully to rinquir,
les. Their first anxiety was that we should
be seated, in order, to use their phrase, that
we might feel ourselves lii our own mousse
their next wish was that we should taste
something, no matte how little; some o1er-
cd us spirits, or milk and bread; others,
who could afford nothing else, presented
cup of water. Vet, however wretched the
cottagc, or poor the fare, the deficiency was
never made more apparent by apologies.
With untaaght polteness, me best they Aah
was placed octorc US, graced with hearty
welcome.
Their ranchas, as we'll as the honsesin the
town, are built of large hat bricks arled III
the sun, and thatched with broad PAIN
leaves, the ends of which, by ovcrhanging
the walls, afford shade, as well as shelter
from the rain. Each cottage IS divided INTO
two rooms one for the beds, the other as a
dining. room, a portion OF the mud moor OF
4 which is always raised seven or eight inches
above the level of the other parts, and being
covered with mats serves as couch tor the
sicsta slcepers after dinner.
In one cottage we found q young woman
grinding corn iii a very prmatire nall, con-
sisting of two stones, ono large grooved
block placed on the ground, the other q pol
ishcd piece above twice the size OF her ifila
The unground corn appeared to be baked
ipntil it would crumble into powder between
the finger and thumb, ard the coarse Hour,
when mixed with water, made an agreeable
drink, called Jlpa.
In some Of the Quebfadas, VIC occasionally
discovered houses Of better class, general
4 Is occupied bv elderly ladies Of slender IN
come, who had rclinquishcd the fashionable
and expensive parts OF the town, tor more
remote, though not less comfortable dwell
lings. Nothing could exceed the neathesh
ana regularity which rcif,ncd IN these houses,
where We were often received ny the inmates
with politcness of manners, indicating that
they had known better days. these good
ladies generally entertained us with the cele-
brated Paraguay tea called Mattee, a bever-
are of which the inhabitants are passionately
fond. Before infusion, the Icr5a, as it IS
called. has a yellow colour, and appears
partly chopped the favour resembles that
Of fine tea, to which, indeed, many people
prefer it, The mattec is NJ tdc IN an oval
shaped metal pot, about twice rs large as an
egg, placed nearly full OF water, on the hot
cmbcrs OF the braaicr, which stands at all
. seasons of the year i'll the middle OF the par
, lour; when the water begins tob boil, lump
. OF sugar burnt on the outside is added. lhl
not is next removed to il iilagree silver stand
, Oh Which it is handed to the guest, who
draws the mattce into his mouth through q
silver pipe seven or eight inches in lcnSht
S furnished, at the lower extremity, with
, bulb pierced with small holes. The natives
drink it almost boiling hot, and 1t costs the
: stranger many a tear before he can initiate
: them in this respect. There IS one custom
0 in these mattec drinkings, to which, thousi
S not easily reconcileaDle to our haDlts,
t stran ger must not venture to object. How
it ever numerous the company may be, or now
! ever often the mattcc pot may be replenlsh
ed, the tube is never changed; and to declin
it taking mattec, because the tube had bcel
, previously used, would be thought TIT
e height OF rideness. A gentleman of my &C
i auaiutance, becoming very fond OF this DC
C verasc, bought a tube for himself, and car
l. ried II constantly in his pocket; but this gay
N SO much offence that he was eventually Oh
&c lgcd to rclinluish it.
), The people in general, and particular
,e the peasantry, and the lower orders in ia
to out skirts of the town, appeared to us muc
e better bred than the correspondent RANKS
Il other countries. In their domestic circles
r thcv wcr. at all times remarkably polite
al one another, the children being respectful a,
Ii attentive, and the parents considerable al
le in;ialgcnt. But this was conspicuous only
i'll home for, when abroad, the men were vel
ld negligent of good manners, and, although a
". tual ru.lcness was contrary 70 their natui'
at thcy were, in general, careless OF the wish
all OF the women, and never sought opportuniti
ns u obiging them, nor seemed to take al
pleasure in being useful on trivial occasion
ce This habitual iAattentlon On the part OF y
ed Young mon rendered the women, in so.lc q
20 gree, d;strnstful Of the civility with viii
he strangers as Il matter OF course, treat
TO- them and nj iirst, We often observed 10
m Of embarrassment when We paid them ,
ny, binary attention.
not The state cf education at Valparaiso "
+ Of very low, and in this respect tine men h
ing tile advantage. The refinement, howe
ma or, was all with the other sex; in kno
, ledge Of the world, in sound judgment, g
the in every thing relative TO manners, Il
IN were clearly superior to the men.
lat, For some time after arriving at Nalpal
ilfi- SO, our attention had been so much ensros
the by the scenes at the bull-iiSts, that we
pom came well acquainted with the habits aht