Wilmington journal. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1844-1895, 1855-02-02
A Lazy Mans Paradise

In Lieut. Gibbons account of his exploration of the
valley of the Amazon or rather of one of its main
branches the Madeira River, Executive document
No. SO, for copy of which we are indebted to the
courtesy of Hon. VIM. S Ashe) from the Pacific side,
we Ind the following account Of the daily life of a
creole family In the town of Santa Cruz the capital
OF the Bolivian department of that name For la
zy man Santa Cruz de Bolivia must a perfect para
disc, to say nothing ola chance bachelor has of be-
ing able to partner in city where there are
i've women TO one Herald please take notice.
"Very early in the morning the creole, getting out
OF he'd throws himself into hamac bis wife stretch
es herself upon bench near by, while the children
seat themselves with their legs under them on the
chairs. oil in their night dresses The Indian servant
girl enters with cup of chocolate for each member
OF the family After which, she brings some Goals
of fire in silver dish The wife lights her husband
cigar, then for herself Some time is spent re-
Ginning, chatting, and RECALLING. The man slowly
pulls On his cotton trousers WOODEN coat, leather
Shoes and vicuna hat, with his neck exposed to the
fresh ar,sllk handkerchiefs are scarce,-he walks
10 some near neighbors, with whom he again drinks
chocolate and smokes another cigar
At midday small low table is set in the middle OF
the room, and the family go 10 breakfast The wife
sits next to her husband the women are very pretty
and afeetlonate TO their husbands. He chooses her
from among flee, there being about that number OF
FL II IL
themselves, and the dogs form a ring behind. The
first dish is chupe OF potatoes with large pieces of
meat The man helps himself first and throws his
bones straight the table; child lodges his
head to give it free passage, and the dogs rush al
ter it as it falls upon the ground floor child
then throws his bone, the mother lodges and he
dogs rush behind her The second dish holds small
pieces of beef without bones Dogs fight.
ing Next comes dish with finely -chopped beef
then beef soup, vegetables, and fruits; finally, coffee
or chocolate After breakfast, the pulls off his
trousers and coat and lies down with his drawers in
the hamac. His wife lights him cigar. She fluids
her way back 10 bed with her cigar The dogs
Jump up and lie down the chairs the fsas bite
| them the grounI The Indian girl closes both
doors and windows, takes the children out TO play
while the rest Of the family sleep.
At p. m. the church bells ring 10 lei the peopl:
know the priests saying prayer for them, which
rouses them up. The man rises, stretches his hanC
above his head and gapes; the dogs get down ant
whnngiy stretch themselves; while the wife set:
up in bed and loudly calls out for fire > the In
dian girl re appears with /" chuRk for her mis-
tress TO light her master another cigar, and she
smokes again herself The dinner, which takes place
between and 5, and is nearly the breakfast
except when beef is recently killed by the Indians
! then they have a bro. The ribs and other long
bones of the animal are trimmed Of flesh, leaving
| the bones thny coated with meat these laid
across a fire and roasted the members of the fami
| ly, while employed with them look rs if all were
practising music.
horse is brought into the house by an Indian
man, who holds whlle.the patron " saddles and bri
dies him; he then puts large pair Of silver
spurs, which cost forty dollars, and mounting, he rides
out of the front door to the opposite house halt
ing, he takes off his hat and calls Buenas tar
des, senortas good evening, ladies' The ladies
make their appearance at the door; one lights him
a cigar; another mixes him glass of lemonade tt
refresh himself after his ride. He remains in the
saddle taking while they lean gracefully against tht
door-posts. smiling with their bewitchng eyes. He
touches his hat and rides off to another neighbor
After spending the afternoon in this way he rides in
to the house again. The Indian holds the horse by
the bride while the master dismounts. Taking of
the saddle he throws ii into chair the bride in
| to another his spurs third, and himself into tht
hamac the Indian leads out the horse the dogs pull
down the riding gear to the floor, and lay themselves
on themselves on their usual bedseads. Chocolate
and cigars are repeated"