484 TJLLOA*S VOYAGE TO SOUTH AMERICA, 



Santa Terefa. All thefe convents and their churches are pretty large ; and if the latter 

 do not dazzle the fight with the fplendor of their ornaments, they do not want any 

 which decency requires. Here was formerly a convent of bare-footed Carmelites, built 

 on a fpacious plain, near the top of the mountain of M, from whence, on account of the 

 fharpnefs of the winds, the fathers fome time after removed to the foot of the mountain. 

 But they were alfo foon difgufted with their new fituation ; the dry and falted fifh, 

 falads, and fuch like, being the only particulars which this country affords, fuitable to 

 the perpetual abftinence of their order ; and accordingly they again retired to their 

 original fituation, chufing rather to fuffer the inclemency of the weather, than be con- 

 fined to difagreeable food. This was the cafe of another convent of the fame order 

 founded at Latacunga, where there is alfo no frefh fifh of any fort to be had. It mufl, 

 however, be obferved, that the Terefian convents, who are under the fame vow of 

 abflinence, are not difcouraged by thefe inconveniences ; nor is there a fingle inflance 

 of any deficiency in the appointed number of nuns. 



From the mountain of M iffues a river, which by running through the city, befides 

 other conveniences, carries away all its foil. Two bridges are erefted over it, one of 

 flone, and the other 6f wood. The name of this river is del Molino. Its waters have a 

 particular medicinal virtue, which they are thought to derive from the many briars 

 through which they flow. In this mountain is alfo a fpring of very charming water ; 

 but, not being fufficient to fupply the whole city, it is conveyed to the nunneries, and 

 the houfes of men of rank. A little above a league to the north of Popayan runs the 

 river Cauca. It is very large and deep, its current rapid, and fubjeA to dangerous 

 fwellings in the months of June, July, and Augufl ; the feafon when the horrors of the 

 mountains of Cuanacas, where it has its fource, are at their height ;. fo that the paff- 

 age of it is extremely dangerous, as many travellers, rafhly expofing themfelves to 

 the intenfenefs of its cold, amidfl thick fnows and violent winds, have fatally ex- 

 perienced. 



The inhabitants of Popayan and Quito differ very fenfibly in their cafts ; for, as at 

 Quito, and the other towns and villages of its jurifdictions, the moft numerous clafs of 

 people is that of the cafls which fprung from the intermarriages of Spaniards and In- 

 dians, fo at Popayan, Carthagena, and other parts where Negroes abound, the lower 

 clafs confifls of cafls refulting from the marriages of the Whites and Negroes ; but 

 very few Indian cafts. This is owing to the great multitude of Negro flaves kept as 

 labourers at the plantations in the country, the mines, and to do the fervile offices in 

 the city: fo that the number of Indians here are very few, compared with the other 

 parts of the province. This government has, however, many large villages of them ; 

 and it is only in the capital, and other Spanifh towns, that they are fo greatly out-num- 

 bered by the Negroes. 



The inhabitants of Popayan are computed at between twenty and twenty-five thou- 

 fand ; and among thefe are many Spanifh families, particularly fixty, known to have 

 been originally defcended from very noble families in Spain. It is worth obferving 

 here, that, whilft other towns fee their inhabitants conftantly decreafing, Popayan may 

 boaft of a daily increafe. This has indeed nothing myfterious in it ; the many gold 

 mines worked all over its jurifdidion, afford employment to the indigent, and, confe- 

 quently, occafion a great refort of people to thefe parts. 



Popayan is the conftant refidence of the governor ; whofe office being purely civil, 

 it is not requifite, as in many others, that he fhould be acquainted with military affairs. 

 Within the jurifdiftion of his government, all matters, civil, political, and military, are 

 under his (ireftion. He is alfo the chief magiftrate of the city ; the others are the two 



ordinary 



