Through Five Republics on Horseback, Being an Account of Many Wanderings in South AmericaRay, George Whitfield
Religion
Through Five Republics on Horseback, Being an Account of Many Wanderings in South America
Ray, George Whitfield
Ray, George Whitfield, 1868- -- Travel -- South America; South America -- Description and travel
To describe the dress of this descendant of Adam I feel myself
incapable. A shirt and a big slouch hat seem to be the only articles of
attire like ours. Coat, trousers or shoes he does not wear. Instead of
the first mentioned, he uses the _poncho_, a long, broad blanket, with
a slit in the centre to admit his head. For trousers he wears very wide
white drawers, richly embroidered with broad needlework and stiffly
starched. Over these he puts a black _chiripá_, which really I cannot
describe other than as similar to the napkins the mother provides for
her child. Below this black and white leg covering come the long boots,
made from one piece of seamless hide. These boots are nothing more than
the skin from the hind legs of an animal--generally a full-grown horse.
The bend of the horse's leg makes the boot's heel. Naturally the toes
protrude, and this is not sewn up, for the Gaucho never puts more than
his big toe in the stirrup, which, like the bit in his horse's mouth,
must be of solid silver. A dandy will beautifully scallop these rawhide
boots around the tops and toes, and keep them soft with an occasional
application of grease. No heel is ever attached. Around the man's
waist, holding up his drawers and chiripa, is wound a long colored
belt, with tasseled ends left hanging over his boot, down the right
side; and over that he invariably wears a broad skin belt, clasped at
the front with silver and adorned all around with gold or silver coins.
In this the long knife is carried.
What shall I say of the domestic life of these people? Unfortunately,
marriage is practically unknown among them. The father gives his son a
few cattle, and the young man, after building himself a house, conducts
thither his chosen one. Unhappily, constancy in either man or woman is
a rare virtue.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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