Publisher's Synopsis
Excerpt from A General Collection of the Best and Most Interesting Voyages and Travels in All Parts of the World, Vol. 14: Many of Which Are Now First Translated Into English, Digested on a New Plan
Almofi all the commodities of Europe are difiributed through the Spaniflt America by a fort of pedlars or merchants, on foot, who come from Panama to Payta by fea, and in their road from the lall-mentioned port, make Piura their firll ftage to Lima, difpofing of their goods, and leffening their burdens as they go along. Some take the road through Caxamarca, others through Truxillo, along fhore from Lima: they take their palfage back to Panama by fea, and perhaps carry a little cargo of brandy with them at Panama they again flock themfelves with European goods, returning by fea to Payta, where they are put on fhore; there they hire mules, and load them, the Indians going with them, in order to bring them back; and fo thefe traders keep in a continual round, till they have got enough to live on. Their travelling expences are next to no thing; for the Indians are brought under fuch fubjeetion, that they find lodging for them, and provender for their mules: this every white face may command, being a' homage the poor Indians are long accullomed to pay; and fome think they have an honour done into the bargain, except, out of generofity, they now and then meet with a fmall recompence. In the Britifh and French nations a pedlar is defpifed, and his employment looked upon as a mean fhift to get a living; but it is otherwife here, where the quick return of money is a fufficient excufe for the manner of getting it; and there are many gentlemen in Old Spain, who, when their circumfiances in life are de clining, fend their fons to the Indies to retrieve their fortune this way our lodging was in an outhoufe purpofely for thefe travelling merchants. According to the Spaniih cufiom, we had our dinner fent to the table under cover, where Don Jeronimo and we eat together, while the good lady of the houfe, and her daughters, fat together in an other room. This is the prae'tice at all meals and, if any firong liquors are drank, it is then. In all our conduel, I think the 'good Spaniard was never drfobliged, except once, when he faw me drinking a dram with the doe'tor at a little vietuallingshoufe. As nothing is more difagreeable to the Spaniards than drunkennefs, l had much ado to make amends for this fiep towards it though they admit Of gallantry in the utmoll excefs; fo that it is only changing one enormity for another. After we had patfed about fix weeks at Piura, our Indian guide came again to condu& us to Payta, the man of war being returned. When we were upon the point of taking leave, our furgeon was miffing, which retarded us a day longer. They had concealed him in the town, and defigned to keep him there, as he was a very ufeful man; and if he could have had a fmall chefi of medicines, he might foon have made a handfome fortune. However, the next day we mounted our mules, and parted with great reluctance, efpecially with our kind hoft Don Jeronimo, and his family. We went aboard the Brilliant at Payta, which, having done nothing at fea, made a fort of cruifing voyage to Calao, the port of Lima. The civility I received from the admiral or general of the South Seas, as he is there called, is what I have already mentioned. I {hall here only add one circumltance to the honour of Monfieur de Grange, a captain under the general. As foon as we were taken by the Brilliant, as aforefaid, this gentleman, feeing the foldiers had firipped us, being the conquerors ufual perquifites in all thefe cafes, he generoufly gave me an handfome fuit Of cloaths, two pair of filk fiockings, a hat, wig, fhirts, and every thing according; fo that infiead of futfering, I was in reality a gainer by this accident.
