11, cook's FltlST VOYAGE SEPT. 



the ol)scrvation of Dr. Heberden, lies iii the latitude 

 of 3'2^ 3o 33'^ N. and longitude 16° 49' W. It is 

 situated in the bottom of a bay, and though larger 

 than the extent of the island seems to deserve, is 

 very ill built; the houses of the principal inhabitants 

 are large, those of the common people are small, the 

 streets are narrow, and worse paved than any I ever 

 saw. The churches are loaded with ornaments, 

 among which are many pictures, and images of 

 favourite saints ; but the pictures are in general 

 wretchedly painted, and the saints are dressed in 

 laced clothes. Some of the convents are in a better 

 taste, especially that of the Franciscans, which is 

 plain, simple, and neat in the highest degree. The 

 infirmary in particular drew our attention as a model 

 which might be adopted in other coiuitries with great 

 advantage. It consists of a long room, on one side 

 of which are the windows^ and an altar for the con- 

 enience of administering? the sacrament to the sick : 

 the other side is divided into wards, each of which is 

 just big enough to contain a bed, and neatly lined 

 with gally-tiles ; behind these wards, and parallel to 

 the room in which they stand, there runs a long gal- 

 lery, with which each ward communicates by a door, 

 so that the sick may be separately supplied with 

 whatever they w^ant without disturbing their neigh- 

 bours. In this convent there is also a singular curio- 

 sity of another kind ; a small chapel, the whole 

 lining of which, both sides and ceiling, is composed 

 of human sculls and thigh-bones ; the thigh-bones 

 are laid across each other, and a scull is placed in 

 each of the four angles. Among the sculls one is 

 very remarkable ; the upper and the lower jaw, on 

 one side, perfectly and firmly cohere ; how the ossifi- 

 cation which unites them was formed, it is not, per- 

 haps, very easy to conceive, but it is certain that the 

 patient must have lived some time without opening 

 his mouth : what nourishment he received was con- 



