lijO OVALLe's historical relation of CHILE* 



the ruins may be yet feen in fome places j for this reafon, they have raifed a ftrong 

 wall on that fide ; againfi: which^ the river lofing its ftrength, is thrown on the other 

 fide, and the city thereby freed from this inundation. 



From this river is drawn ah arm on the eafl fide, which being fubdivided into as 

 marty ftreams as there are fquares, enters into every one of them, and runs through 

 all the tranfverfal ftreets by a conduit or canal ; and bridges are every where, as ne- 

 ceffity requires, for the paifage of carts : fo that all the houfes have a ftream of water, 

 which cleanfes and carries with it all the filth of the city : and from this difpofition of 

 water, it is eafy to water or overflow all the flreets in the heat of fummer, without 

 the trouble of carts or other conveniences, and that without any charge. All thefe 

 rivulets empty themfelves to the wefl, and are let into the grounds without the city, 

 to water the gardens and vineyards that are there ; which being done, it is let into other 

 fields, fowed with all forts of grain, and then returns to the great river. The inhabit- 

 ants do not dririk of this water, though pretty good ; but it ferves to watCT horfes and 

 other animals ; therefore they fetch water from the river for their own drinking, or 

 draw it from wells, which yield very good, and very cool : thofe who are yet nicer 

 fend to the fprings and fountains, of which there are many in the neighbourhood, which 

 yield mofl excellent fweet water. The flreets of this city are all of the fame bignefs 

 and proportion, broad enough for three coaches to go abreaft eafily : they are paved 

 on each fide near the houfes, and the middle is unpaved for the paffage of carts. There 

 is one flreet that is of an extraordinary breadth, and in it fifteen or fixteen coaches 

 may go abreafl ; this is to the fouth, and runs eaft and weft the whole length of the 

 city : this is called La Cannada ; and though at firft it did not extend beyond the 

 city, yet now it does, and has many buildings and gardens ; and there is the church of 

 St. Lazarus : but there are feveral fquares built further which inclofe in again, and fo 

 it is in a good fituation. 



This Cannada is the beft fituation of the whole place, where there is always an air 

 flirring, fo as the inhabitants in the greatefl heats of fummer can fit at their doors, and 

 enjoy the cool j to which may be added the agreeable profpe6l it affords, as well becaufe 

 of the buftle of carts and coaches, as of a grove of willows which is watered by a little 

 rivulet from one end of the ftreet to the other : it is befides adorned with a famous 

 convent of St. Francis, the church of which is all of a white free-ftone, all fquare ftone 

 finely cut, and a fteeple of the fame at one end of it, fo high, that it is ieen. a 

 great way off by thofe who come from other parts. It is divided into three parts, 

 and has its galleries ; the uppermoft is a pyramid : from it one may difcover oil 

 all fides lovely profpefts, which delight the eye extremely, and recreate the mind, 



CHAP. in. — Of the other Edifices and Churches of the City of St.Jago. 



THIS city has (bdide this ftreet called the Cannada, which might afford many places, 

 fuch as are in great cities) another very large one, named of St. Saturnino j it has like- 

 wife the place of Sandla Anna, where has been lately built a church dedicated to that, 

 glorious faint. There is alfo a place called La Placera de la Compania de Jefus, where 

 the front of their church makes a figure, and is a retreat or tabernacle upon the day of 

 the proceffion of Corpus Chrifti. Moft of the other religious houfes have their places 

 before the great porticos or entrances of their churches : but above all, is the place 

 called the Principal Place, where all the bufinefs of law and commerce is driven. The 

 two fides of the place that are eaft and fouth have buildings after the old way, though 



they 



