ULLOA's voyage to south AMERICA. 57 1 



their very bafes to the borders of the paintings, are covered with maffive filver, wrought 

 into various kinds of ornaments. The walls alfo of the churches are hung with velvet, 

 or tapeftry of equal value, adorned with gold and filver fringes ; all which, in this 

 country, is remarkably dear; and on thefe are fplendid pieces of plate, in various 

 figures. If the eye be direded from the pillars, walls, and ceiling, to the lower part 

 of the church, it is equally dazzled with glittering objefts, prefenting themfelves on 

 all fides ; among which are candlefticks of mafTive filver, fix or feven feet high, placed 

 in two rows along the nave of the church : embolTed tables of the fame metal, fup- 

 porting fmaller candlefticks ; and in the intervals betwixt them pedeftals on which 

 ftand the ftatues of angels. In fine, the whole church is covered with plate, or fome- 

 thing equal to it in valu^ ; fo that divine fervice, in thefe churches, is performed with 

 a magnificence fcarce to be imagined ; and the ornaments, even on common days, 

 with regard to their quantity and richnefs, exceed thofe which many cities of Europe 

 pride themfelves with difplaying on the moft common occafions. 



If fuch immenfe riches are beftowed on the body of the church, how can imagina- 

 tion itfelf form an idea of thofe more immediately ufed in divine worfhip, fuch as the 

 facred velTels, the chalices, oftenforiums, &c. in the richnefs of which there is a fort of 

 emulation between the feveral churches ? In thefe the gold is covered with diamonds, 

 pearls, and precious ftones, fo as to dazzle the eye of the fpedlator. The gold and 

 filver ftuffs for veftments and other decorations, are always of the richeft and moft va- 

 luable among thofe brought over by the regifter Ihips. In fine, whatever is em- 

 ployed in ornamenting the churches, is always the richeft of the kind pofTible to be 

 procured. 



The principal convents are very large, with convenient and airy apartments. Some 

 parts of them, as the outward walls which inclofe them, are of unburnt brick ; but the 

 building itfelf of quinchas or baxareques. The roofs of many are arched with brick, 

 others only with quinchas ; but of fuch curious architefture, as entirely to conceal the 

 materials ; fo that the frontifpieces and principal gates have a majeftic appearance. The 

 columns, friezes, ftatues, and cornices, are of wood, finely carved, but fo nearly imi- 

 tating the colour and appearance of ftone, as only to be difcovered by the touch. This 

 ingenious imitation does not proceed from parfimony, but necelTity ; in order to avoid 

 as much as pofTible the dreadful devaftations of earthquakes, which will not admit of 

 ftrudures built of pondrous materials. 



The churches are decorated with fmall cupolas of a very pretty appearance : and 

 though they are all of wood, the fight cannot diftinguilh them from ftone. The towers 

 are of ftone from the foundation the height of a toife and a half, or two toifes, and from 

 thence to the roof of the church of brick, but the remainder of wood painted of a free- 

 ftone colour, terminating in a ftatue, or image, alluding to the name of the church. 

 The height of thefe may be nearly known from that of St. Dominic, which by a geo- 

 metrical menfuration, we found to be between fifty and fixty yards ; a height which, 

 though fmall in proportion to the largenefs of the llrudure, is a necelTary caution, both 

 with regard to the fhocks of earthquakes, and the weight of the bells, which, in fize 

 and number, exceed thofe of Spain, and, on a general ringing, produce a very agree- 

 able harmony. 



All the convents are furnifhed with water from the city, though not from that of the 

 rivulets, which, as we before obferved, run through the ftreets in covered channels ; 

 but brought from a fpring by means of pipes : while, on the other hand, both the mo- 

 nafteries and nunneries are each obliged to maintain a fountain in the ftreet, for the 

 public ufe of poor people, who have not the conveniency of water in their houfes. 



4 D 2 The 



