468 A VOYAGE TO Book VI. - 



door not admitting of any other manner. And, as I 

 have hefore ohservcd, that one of the principal tem- 

 ples was not far from hence, this was probably the 

 very structure. 



At the extremity of the plain which runs north- 

 ward from Latacunga, are still seen the walls of 

 a palace of the yncas of Quito ^ and is still called by 

 its ancient name Callo. At present it serves for the 

 mansion-house of a plantation belonging to the Au- 

 gustines at Quito. If it wants the beauty and gran- 

 deur which characterise the works of the ancient 

 Egytians, Greeks, Romans, and other nations versed 

 in the fine arts ; yet, if we niake proper alloAvance 

 for the rusticity of the Indians, and compare this 

 with their other buildings, the dignity of the prince 

 will be abundantly conspicuous, in the prodigious 

 magnitude of the materials, and the magnificence of 

 the structure. You enter it through a passage five 

 or six toises in length, leading into a court, round 

 which are three spacious saloons, filling the three 

 other sides of its squares. Each of these saloons 

 has several compartments ; and behind that which 

 faces the entrance, are several small buildings, which 

 seem to have been offices, except one ; and this, from 

 the many divisions in it, was, in all probability, a me- 

 nagerie. Though the principal parts still continue, 

 the ancient work is something disfigured, dwellings 

 having been lately built among them, and alterations 

 made in the chief apartments. 



This palace is entirely of stone, equal in hard- 

 ness to flint; and the colour almost black. They 

 are exceedingly well cut, and joined so curiously, that 

 the point of a knife, or even so much as a piece of 

 the finest paper cannot be put betwixt them ; so that 

 they only shew the walls to be of different stones ; 

 and not one entire composition ; but no cement is 

 perceivable. The stones without ají all of a convex 



figure ; 



