Cii. XV. SOUTH AMERICA. 177 



dians inhabiting on their frontiers. And that thc3'^ 

 may be dexterous in the management of them, they 

 are exercised on the evening of every holiday in the 

 maiket-placcs of the towns. All persons capable of 

 bearing arms in every town, are divided into compa- 

 nies, and have their proper officers, who owe this dis- 

 tinction to their military qualifications : their uniform 

 is richly laced with gold and silver, according to their 

 rank, and embroidered with the device of their towns. 

 In these they ahvo>ys appear on holidays, and at 

 the times of exercise. The governor, alcaldes, and 

 regidores, have also very magnificent habits of cere- 

 mony, which they wear on solemn occasions. 



No town is without a school for teaching reading-, 

 writin»:, dancins»;, and music : and in whatever thev 

 undertake they generally excel, the inclination and 

 genius of every one being carefully consulted before 

 they are forwarded in any branch of science. Thus 

 many attain a very good knowledge of the Latin 

 tongue. In one of the courts of the house belonging 

 to the priest of every town, are shops or workhouses 

 for painters, sculptors, gilders, silversmiths, lock- 

 smiths, carpenters, weavers, watchmakers, and all 

 other mechanic arts and trades. Here every one 

 works for the benefit of the whole town, under the 

 inspection of the priests coadjutors ; and boys are 

 there also instructed in those trades and arts, to which 

 they have the greatest inclination. 



The churches are large, and well built : and, with 

 regard to decorations, not inferior to the richest in 

 Peru. Even the houses of the Indians are built with 

 that symmetry and convenience, and so completely and 

 elegantly furnished, as to excel those of the Spaniards 

 in many towns in this part of America. Most of 

 them however are only of mud wail-, some of unburnt 

 bricks, and others of stone ; but all, in general, 

 covered with tiles. Every thing in these towns is on 

 such good footing, that all private houses make 



Vol, II, X gun- 



