ISf) A VOYAGE TO Book VII. 



city is built on a largo plain, gently rising: from the 

 liitle river. It is far from beiuii; small, having at least 

 three thousand bouses, inhabited by Spaniards and 

 diííerent casts. Like most towns situated on rivers, 

 its breadth is not proportional to jts lenj^th. The 

 streets are however straight, and of a proper breadth. 

 The principal sqiiiare is very large, and built near tlie 

 little river ; the front ans^verini>; to it, being a castle 

 \vhere the governor constantly resides ; and, with the 

 other forts, has a, garrison of a thousand regular 

 troops. The houses, formerly of mud walls, thatch- 

 ed with straw and vry low, arc now much improved, 

 some being of chalk, and others of brick, and having 

 one story besides the ground floor, and most of them 

 tiled *. The cathedral is a spacious and very elegant 

 i^tructure, and is the parish' cluuch for the greatest 

 part of the inhabitants ; the other at the farther end 

 of the city being only for the Indians. The chapter 

 IS composed of the bishop, dean, archdeacon, and 

 two canons, one by composition, the other by^ire- 

 sentation. Here are ahjo several convents, and a royal 

 chapel in the castle wht;re the governor resides. With 

 regard to the civil and oeconomical government, and \ 

 the magistracy, it will be unnecessary to enter into 

 particulars, they being on the same footing as those 

 of the places already mentioned. 



The climate liere is very little diilerent from that 

 of 'Spain ; and the di:5tinctions between the seasons. 

 are the same. In winter indeed violent tempests of 

 winds and rain are here very frequent, accompanied 

 with such dreadful thunders and lightnings, as fill 

 ihe inhabitants, though used to them, with terror and 

 consternation. In summer the excessive heats are 

 mitigatrd by gentle breezes, which constantly being 

 ?it eight or nine in the morning. 



•&' 



* Their h(ju,scs are coai'.iionly thatcliod ^vil^. cocoa-nut leaves an4 



The 



