the current of the air being thus continually ventilated,
never leaves the moift vapours at reft, and prevents
their forming thofe putrid combinations, which heat
generally occaiions, on ftagnated waters; thus the vicinity
of the fea, the rains, and more than all, the
ftrong currents of air, are the phyiical caufes o f its fa*
lubrity at Bilbao, as on the contrary, the continued
heat which rarifies the exhalations of fuch. rivers as have
a flow motion, as well as the ftagnated waters in ponds
or lakes, where there is great heat in the air, and little
wind, will be the caufes of putrifying the vapours,
and bring on fevers and other diftempers. For this
reafon, the inhabitants of La Mancha are fo fubjecft to
agues, and ufip as much bark asin Holland, becaufe the air
has little motion in fummer, notwithftanding the country
is open, and the furface is dry. In the fame manner,
a new houfe is dangerous to dwell in, where the damp
vapours,are confined, though one may fleep very fafely
in the deepeft gallery of a mine, if the air has a free circulation.
T o thefe favourable circumftances, the Bifcayners
owe their good fpirits, freihnefs of complexion, and
chearful difpofition. In other countries, women are op-
prefled with the flighteft fatigue ; here they work as
much as the ftrongeft men, unload the ihips, carry burdens,
and do all the bufinefs of porters. The very felons,
confined to hard labour in the mines o f Ahnadem,
do
do nothing in companion with thefe females ; they go
bare footed, and are remarkably acftive, carrying burthens
on their heads which require two men to lift up.
The wife yields not in ftrength to the hufband, nor the
After to the brother, and after a chearful glafs, though
heavily loaded, they move on with alacrity, returning
home in the evening, without the appearance of laffi-
tude, often arm in arm, dancing and finging to the tabor
and pipe.
Their mufic is defrayed at the expence of the town,
after the manner of the antient Greeks. On holidays
they play under the trees in the great fquare ; the moment
they begin, the concourfe is great, then, women,
and children, o f all ages, are engaged at the fame time,
down to the very infants. The dances, are a ¿live, fuita-
ble to their ftrength, but divefted of indecent attitudes
or geftures. Thefe furprifing women, though conftant-
ly expofed to the air, have good complexions, with
lively eyes, and fine black hair, in which they pride
themfelves greatly, and braid to uncommon advantage.
Married women wrap a white handkerchief round their
heads, Co knotted, as to fall down in three plaits behind,
and over this the Montera cap. They have a
haughty look, and work in the fields like the men; their
language is the Bafcuenfe, which, without doubt, is original,
and as antient as the peopling of the country;
being