ISS A VOYAGE TO JIook VII, 



never excessive, nor is the heat troublesome ; so 

 that the fields are always cloaihed with verdure and 

 enamelled with flowers^ as in a perpetual spring. The 

 inhabitants enjoy an exemption from many diseases 

 common to other countries, partly owing to their care 

 in keeping the streets clean by means of canals which 

 extend to a river running* near the city ; and by these 

 all the filth of the city is swept away. 



But these pleasures and advantages are allayed 

 by the dreadful shocks of earthquakes, to which, 

 in common with all those parts of America,, it is so 

 subject, that it has been four times by these convuln 

 sions of nature laid in ruins; besides other small 

 shocks not attended with such terrible consequences. 

 The first of those was felt in 1582; the second on 

 the 24th of February 1600^ which was accompa- 

 nied with an eruption of a volcano called Guayna- 

 Patina^, in the neighbourhood of the city; the third 

 happened in 1604, and the last in 1725. And though 

 the desolation attending the three last was not so 

 universal^ yet the public buildingS;, and the most 

 stately houses. Mere laid in ruins. 



The city is very populous^ and among its inha- 

 bitants many noble families;, this being the place 

 where most of the Spaniards settled, on account of 

 tlie goodness of the air, and the fertility of the soil ; 

 as also for the conveniency of commerce at the port 

 of Aranta, which is only tv/enty leagues distant. 

 The civil, political, and military government of the 

 city is executed by a corregidor, who is placed at the 

 head of the regidores, from which are annually chosen 

 two ordinary alcaldes. 



The city of Arequipa did belong to the diocess 

 of Cusco, till the year 1609, when it was elected 

 into a particular bishoprick on the 20lh of July. 

 The chapter besides the bishop consists of the five 

 usual dignitaries, namely, the dean, archdeacon, chant- 

 er, rector, and treasurer ; three canons and two 



prebends. 



