New-York daily tribune. [volume] (New-York [N.Y.]) 1842-1866, 1855-06-18

SocIyrY IN PERU.--The JcfsrsoHiaR Democrat has
published three interesting letters from Payta, rom
one of which we take the following extracts;
"The people are as ignorant almost as when the
Spaniards found them, like the Indians In our own
country. The boys, very many OF mem; 20 nnx ,S
un, they are eight or ten years old. And among inc
Ipdian women there is far less modesty In regard 70
the person than we accustomed to zee at home.
Although the habit of wearing dresses has generaliy
obtained in this Province, yet they usually content
Themselves with fastening the skirt round the waist
and letting the body fall round their hips, exposing
their arms and splendid busts (Of course speak oil
the natives of the lower classes Spanish ard Indian
and mixed who compose by far the maonty the very
few educated inhabitants dress precisely as we do at
bome The girls are fond of wearing pink, blue and
white silk shoes but as they never wear stockings the
contrast between these delicate c00rs and their brown
coarse apces and legs is anything but fne The hair
il generally black coarse and straight, and they ex-
b6it no taste whatever in arranging it, or indeed any
thing else.
"As for society in Payta, il does not exist In the
proper sense of the word.
1As re, ards creature comforts, have been here
four months and the highest degree Of physical enjoy
ment is to pass whole day unnannoyed by heas; the
next pleasure to this, which has smack OF vengeance
in IT, is to kill and burn up in the candle Tea which
has been annoying you. 20
"Thore are living here two persons whowere inti-
mattel, connected with the history of Gen. Bolivar,
the Liberator. One, Gen. Guerra, was an oihcer un
der Bolivar and served with him in the wars OF South
Anne ne an Independence and now by some revolution
in Ecuador lie is expatrated He had scarcely days
notice. and was not able to make any preparation;
his wifes Jewels valued at about $4,000 comprised
all the property be ooud take away. and as he ex-
pectod to he lived careessy until now some
len or twelve years have passed. and he has spent ALI
meanwhile bis magnificent estate Is shut up, and he
is not permitted TO enjoy the fruits He has some M
teen or sixteen children. sometimes go m and smoke
a eiQar with his wife, who lie still handsome woman
and smokes pure Havana with great gusto.
"The other person is Dona Manuela Saens, who was
formerly married 10 very respectable physician. She
was very beautiful and attracted Bolivars attention.
Witty and well educated she engrossed and retained
his affections She left he husband and attached her
self TO Bolivar whose splendid genius and noble quail
tiles deserved better love than she ought to have had
and sic was lis mistress faithful TO death. And now
she esteemed as bis widow. She Ia poor but rs ex-
pectng to receive an annuity left her BY his will though
not vet realized by her. She is still faithful to his
memory and is respected. The wealthy meDbants
bereabout contribute to maintain her IN comfortable
stye under pretense Of loans until she realizes the
1.-The ideas Of morality here are rather lax; and
the woman who takes the responsibilities OF wife
without the sanction of the Church does not lose caste
80 decidedly ss with u.s. though there is difference
between married and unmarried wives. They do
not visit But the married wife will often send pres
ents 10 the unmarried wife to the children OF her
male friend, as q mark Of attention to him."