17S A VOYAGE TO Book Vli 



giiiipONvdcr, that a sufficient quautltyof it may not be 

 wanting-^ either on any exigency, or for fireworks on 

 holidays, and other anniversary rejoicings \,hicli arc 

 punctually kept. But the most splendid ceremony is 

 on the accession of the new monarch to the Spanish 

 throne, when the governor, alcaldes, regidores, to- 

 gether ss'iih all the civil and military officers, appear 

 in new uniforms, and other ornaments, to express the 

 ardent atl'ection they bear their new sovereign. 



Every church has its band of music, consisting 

 of a great number both of vocal and instrumental per- 

 formers. Divine service is celebrated in them with all 

 the pomp and solemnity of cathedrals. The like is 

 observed in public processions, especially that on 

 Corpus Christi day, at which the governor, alcaldes, 

 and regidores, in their habits of ceremony, and the 

 militia in their uniforms, assist : the rest of the peo- 

 ple carry ilambcaux : so that (he whole is conducted 

 w ith an order and reverence suitable to the occasion. 

 These processions are accompanied with fine dancing, 

 but very dillerent from that in the province of Quito^ 

 described in ilie first volume ; ai;d the performers 

 w ear particular dresses, extremely rich, and v>'ell adapt- 

 ed to the characters represented. In short, a mission- 

 ary town omits no circumstance either of festivity 

 or devotion, practised in opulent cities. 



Every town has a kind ofbeaterio, where women 

 of ill fame are placed, it also serves for the retreat of 

 married women who have no families, during the 

 absence of tiieir husbands. For the support of thÍ3 

 liouse, and also of orplians and others, who by age 

 t>r any other circumstance are disabled from earning 

 a. livelihood, tw.o days in i\u\ week are set apart ; 

 when the inhabitants ofcAcry village are obliged to 

 iow and culUvate a certain piece of ground, called 

 Labor de la Comunidad, the labour of the commu- 

 iitty; and the surjihis of the produce is ap|)lied to 

 pruckua fiirniiure and decorations ibr the church, and 



to 



