410 A VOYAGE TO Book Vf. 



Quichua, which was established by the yncas, with 

 an order for its being propagated all over the vast 

 empire, that all their subjects might be able to un- 

 derstand each other ; and therefore was distinguished 

 by the name of the Yncas language. Some under- 

 stand the Spanish, and speak it ; yet very few have the 

 good-nature to answer in it, though the^ know at the 

 same time, that the person with wiiom they are con- 

 versing cannot understand them in Quichua. Nor 

 is it of any consequence to desire and press them to 

 explain themselves in Spanish, for this they absolute- 

 ly refuse: whereas it is quite otherwise with the In- 

 dians born and bred in the towns ; for, if spoken to 

 in their own language, tlicy are sure to answer in the 

 .Spanish. 



SuPEiisTiTiON is genera] among them ; and they 

 all, more or less, pretend to fortune-telling. This 

 weakness is also of a long standing among them ; and 

 which neither the remonstrances of the priests, nor 

 their own experience, can radically cure. Thus they 

 employ artilices, supposed charms, and strange com- 

 .positions, in order. to obtain some visionary happi- 

 Jiiess for the success of a favourite scheme, or other 

 weighty concern. In these prestiges their minds are 

 so infatuated, that, to bring them to a sight of the 

 folly and wickedness of such practices, and solidly to 

 embrace the Christian religion, is a work of thcgreatest 

 difficulty. And even when they have embraced it, 

 are so superficial and hckle, that, if they attend divine 

 .service on Sundays and holidays, it is merely from 

 fear of punishment; for otherwise there would be 

 scarce one Indian, especially of the meaner sort, 

 among the whole congregation. Pertinent to this, I 

 shall relate, among many other instances, the follow- 

 ing story, told me by a priest. An Indian hatl, for 

 some time, absented himselt from the s.crvice of the 

 church ; and the priest being informed that it was 

 owing U) Ills ilrinking early in the morning, on the 



follow! ii"- 



