274 A VOYAGE TO Book V 



a jargon composed of boih; an intnropriety which 

 also gains ground among the Europeans, and even 

 persons of rank, when once thev begin to understand 

 the language of the co.untry. But wha: is still more 

 inconvenient, they use improper v/ords ; so tlrat a 

 Spaniard himself, not accustomed to their dialect, 

 has often need of an interpreter. 



The sumptuous manner of performing the last 

 offices to the dead, mentioned in the description of 

 Carthagena, is frugal and simple, if compared to that 

 used at Quito and all its jurisdicdon. Their ostenta- 

 tion is so enormous in this particular, that many fa- 

 milies of credit are ruined by a preposterous emu- 

 lation of excelling others. The inhabitants may there- 

 fore be properly said to toil, scheme, and endure the 

 greatest labour and fatigue, n^ierely to enable their 

 successors to bury them in a pompous manner. The 

 deceased must have died in very mean circumstances 

 indeed, if all the religious communities, together with 

 • the chapter of the cathedral, are not invited to hi^ 

 funeral, and during the procession the bells tolled in 

 all the churches. After tiie body is committed to the 

 earth, the obsequies are performed in the same ex- 

 pensive manner, besides the anniversary which is so- 

 lemnized at the end of the year. Another remark- 

 able instance of their vanity is, never to bury in their 

 own parish church; so that any one seen to be buried 

 in that manner may be concluded to have been of 

 the lowest class, and to have died wretchedly poor. 

 The custom of making an offering either at the ob- 

 sequies or anniversary, is still observed, and generally 

 consists of wine, bread, beasts, or fowl?, according to 

 the ability or inclination of the survivor. 



Though (^ito cannot be compared to the other 

 cities in tl"iese parts for riches, yet it is far removed 

 from poverty. It appears from several particulars to 

 have been in a much more nourishing state ; but at 

 present, though it has many substantial inhabitants, 



yet 



