Thirty-Six Voyages to Various Parts of the World, Made Between the Years 1799 and 1841

This historic book may have numerous typos and missing text. Purchasers can download a free scanned copy of the original book (without typos) from the publisher. Not indexed. Not illustrated. 1858 Excerpt: ...broken and destroyed by the late earthquakes, which were represented as very severe and awful in the extreme. Almost every body had something to relate about the frightful Tremblors de Tierra, and how much hey had suffered not only by fear, but by the loss of property. We soon commenced selling our little cargo ourselves, without the assistance of a merchant. In small places like Omoa, almost every person in the village is individually known, and there is very little risk of making bad debts. There is no merchant in the place able or willing to purchase a whole cargo, so that one is obliged to dispose of the goods at retail to the whole town. It is rather a tedious way of doing business, as it causes much delay, and consequently a great waste of time in the eye of an American, but not so to these people: they appear to set no value on time, and always take an hour or two in the middle of the day for a siesta. I have on a former voyage observed that they are a simple-hearted, honest people, and am still confirmed in this opinion, not having lost a dollar by crediting a single person in this place. But like most other people in sultry climates, they become very idle and inactive. The ladies of the upper classes (or the elite of Omoa) are extremely inefficient, and do not even make their own clothing. While here, I saw a man quilting a silk underdress for a lady. I asked him what ho was doing; he replied, he was making a dress for L& Sefiora. I then said, Do the ladies not make them? He answered, No, they do not know how. I inquired, What do they do, how do they employ themselves? He replied, Elles Crian sus nefios, y se descansan en sus hamacas. I found here hut two vessels, an American s...