The Ashland union. [volume] (Ashland, Ashland County, Ohio) 1854-1868, 1855-05-09
A Lazy mans Paradise.


ploration of the valley of the Amazon,
or rather Of one of its main branches,
the Madeira River, { executive docu-
ment No. Sc. ] from the pacific side, we
find the following account of the town
of Santa Cruz,the capital of the Beli-
Wan department. Of that name For a
lazy man, Santa Cruz de Bolivia must
be perfect paradise, to say nothing of
chance bachelor has of being able to
secure a partner in city where there
are five women to one man.
''Very early in the morning the
Creole, getting out of bed, throws him
self into hamac; his wife stretches
herself upon bench near by, while the
children seat themselves with their legs
under them. on the chairs, all in their
night dresses. The Indian servant girl
enters with a cup of chocolate for each
mem Der of the family After which she
brings some Goals Of fire in silver dish.
The wife. lights her husband a cigar,
then one for herself. Some time is
spent reclining, chatting, and regaling.
The'nlsn slowly puts on his cotton trows-
ers, woofeh coat, leather shoes, and
vienna hat, with his neck exposed to the
fresh air silk handkerchiefs are scarce
he walks to some near neigh boris with
whom he again drinks chocolate, and
smokes another cigar. '''' r
'eAt mid day. small low table is set
in the middle ofthe room, and the fatni-
ly 60. to breakfast. Thewifc sits next
to the husband; the women are very
pretty, and affectionate to their hus-
bands. He. chooses her from among
Eve, there being about that number of
women to one man in the town. The
children seat themselves, and the dogs
form airing behind. The first dish is
chupe of potatoes with large pieces Of
meat, The man helps himself first, ana
throws his bones straight across the ta-
BILE: a child lodges his head to give it
a free passage, and the dogs rush after it
as it falls upon the ground floor. A
child ihesE throws his bone, the mother
lodges, and the dogs rush behind her
The second dish holds small pieces of
beef without bones. Dogs are now fight
ing. Next comes dish with finely
chopped beef, then beefsoup, vegetables
and fruits; finely, coffee or chocolate
After breakfast the man pulls off his
trowsers and coat, and lies down with
his drawers in the hamac His wife
lights him cigar. She finds her way
back to bed with cigar. The dogs
jump up and lie down on the chairs
the feas bite them on the ground =
The Indian girl closes both doors and
windows, takes the children out to play
while the rest of the family sleep.
"Attwo P. NJ, the church bells ring
TO let the people know the priest was
saying prayer for them, which rouses
them. The man raises his head and
gapes; the dogs get down and whin-
ingly strech themselves; while the wife
sits up in the bed and loudly calls out
for f-e; the Indian girl reappears with
a g chunk - for her mistress to Light her
master another cigar, and she smokes
again herself. The dinner, which takes
place between three and FIVE, is nearly
the same as breakfast, except when a
beef is recently killed by the Indians,
when they have boil, The ribs and
other long bones of the animal are
trimmed of flesh, leaving the bones only
coated with meat; these are laid across
a fire and roasted the members of the
family, while employed with them, look
as if all were practicing music.
$ A horse is brought into the house
by an Indian man, who holds while the
g patron " saddles and brides h, m; he
then puts on a large pair of silver spurs,
which cost forty dollars, and mounting,
he rides out of the front door to the op-
posite house; he takes off his hat and
calls out " Bucnas tardes, senoritas,"
q good evening, ladies'" The ladies
make their appearance; one lights him
a cigar, another mixes him glass of
lemonade to refresh himself after the
ride. He remains in the saddle, talk
ing, while they lean gracefully against
the door-post smiling with their be-
witching eyes. He touches his hat and
rides off to another neighbor. After
spending the afternoon in this way, he
rides into the house again. The indian
holds the horse by the bride while the
master dismounts. Taking off the sad
die, he throws it into one chair, the bri-
die into another, his spurs on third,
and himself into the hamac; the Indian
leads out the horse, the dogs pull down
the riding gear to the floor, and laying
themselves on their usual bedsteads.-
Chocolate and cigars are repeated.
E Geologically speaking, says