638 ULLOA's voyage to south AMERICA. 



dores, and jointly with them, the governor attends to the maintenance of good order 

 and tranquillity among the inhabitants : and that thefe officers, who are feldom perfons 

 of the moft Ihining parts, may not abufe their authority, and either through intereft, 

 or paffion, carry their revenge too far againft other Indians, they are not to proceed 

 to punifhment without previoufly acquainting the prieft with the affair, that he may 

 compare the offence with the fentence. The prieft, on finding the perfon really guilty, 

 delivers him up to be punifhed, which generally conlifts in imprifonment for a certain 

 number of days, and fometimes fafting is added to it ; but if the fault be very great, 

 the delinquent is whipt, which is the moft fevere punifhment ufed among them ; thefe 

 people being never known to commit any crime that merits a greater degree of chaftife- 

 ment ; for immediately on being regiftered as converts, the greateft care has been taken 

 in thefe miflions, to imprint on the minds of thefe new Chriftians, a deteftation of 

 murder, robbery, and fuch atrocious crimes. The execution of the fentence is pre- 

 ceded by a difcourfe made by the prieft before the delinquent, in which he reprefents 

 to the offender, with the greateft foftnefs and fympathy, the nature of his crime, and 

 its turpitude ; fo that he is brought to acknowledge the juftnefs of the fentence, and to 

 receive it rather as a brotherly corredion than a punilhm.ent ; fo that though nature 

 muft feel, yet he receives the correction with the greateft humility and refignation, 

 being confcious that he has brought it upon himfelf. Thus the priefts are in no danger 

 of any malice being harboured againft them ; indeed the love and veneration the Indians 

 pay them, is fo great, that could they be guilty of enjoining an unjuft punifhment, the 

 luffering party would impute it to his own demerits, being firmly perfuaded that the 

 priefts never do any thing without a fufficient reafon. 



Every town has a particular armory, in which are kept all the fire-arms, fwords, 

 and weapons ufed by the militia, when they take the field, whether to repel the infults 

 of the Portuguefe, or any heathen Indians inhabiting on their frontiers. And that they 

 may be dexterous in the management of them, they are exercifed on the evening 

 of every holiday, in the market-places of the towns. All perfons capable of bear- 

 ing arms in every town, -are divided into companies, and have their proper officers, 

 who owe. this diftindtion to their military qualifications ; their uniform is richly la^ed 

 with gold and filver, according to their rank, and embroidered with the device of their 

 towns. In thefe they always appear on holidays, and at the time^ of exercife. The 

 governor, alcaldes, and regidores, have alfo very magnificent habits of ceremony, 

 which they wear on folemn occafions. 



No town is without a fchool for teaching reading, writing, dancing, and mufic ; and 

 in whatever they undertake, they generally excel, the inclination and genius of every 

 one being carefully confulted before they are forwarded in any branch of fcience. Thus 

 many attain a very good knowledge of the Latin tongue. In one of the courts of the 

 houfe belonging to the prieft of every town, are fhops or work-houfes for painters, 

 fculptors, gilders, filverfmiths, lockfmiths, carpenters, weavers, watchmakers, and all 

 other mechanic arts and trades. Here every one works for the benefit of the whole 

 town, under the infpedion of the priefts coadjutors : and boys are there alfo inftruded 

 in thofe trades and arts to which they have the greateft inclination. 



The churches are large and well built, and with regard to decorations, not infe- 

 rior to the richeft in Peru. Even the houfes of the Indians are built with that fymmetry 

 and convenience, and fo completely and elegantly furnifhed, as to excel thofe of the 

 Spaniards in many towns in this part of America. Moft of them however are only of 

 mud walls, fome of unburnt bricks, and others of ftone ; but all in general covered 

 with tiles. Every thing in thefe towns is on fuch good footing, that all private houfes 



make 



