668 ulloa's voyage to south America. 



who commands in all the militiary affairs without the city ; but we fliall have occafion 

 to give a farther account of his duty in the fequel. 



This city at firft belonged to the diocefe of Imperial ; but that being ruined by thc- 

 perpetual incurfions of the Indians, the epifcopal fee was removed to Conception, and 

 the chapter changed. It is now a fuffragan of Lima, and has a chapter confifting of a 

 bifhop, dean, archdeacon, and two prebendaries. 



The jurifdiftion of Conception extends from the river Maule on the coaft north of 

 the city to Cape Lavapies. It has few villages ; but the whole country is full of feats,. 

 farms, and cottages. 



The inhabitants confift of Spaniards and Meflizos, who in colour are hardly diftin- 

 guifhable from the former ; both being very fair, and fome have even frefli com- 

 plexions. The goodnefs of the climate, together with the fertility of the country, 

 have drawn hither many Spanilh families, both Creoles and Europeans, who live toge- 

 ther in that harmony and friendfliip, which fhould be an example to the other parts 

 of thefe provinces ; where the comforts of fociety are greatly leffened by the feuds 

 arifing from a mean pride and jealoufy. The men in general are well-lhaped and 

 robuft, and the women handfome. Their cuftoms and drefs are a kind of com- 

 pound of thofe of Lima and Quito, but more nearly refemble the latter, except that 

 the men ufe, inftead of a cloak, a poncho, which is made in the form of a quilt, 

 about two yards and a half or three in length, and two in breadth, having an open- 

 ing in the middle juft fufficient to put their head through, the reft hanging down 

 on all fides. This is their drefs in all weathers, whether walking or riding. The 

 peafants, whom they call Guafos, never pull it off but when they go to refl, tucking 

 it up in fuch a manner, that both their arms and whole body are at full liberty either 

 for labour or diverfion. This is an univerfal garb among all ranks when they ride on 

 horfeback, an exercife very common here ; and the women are particularly famous 

 for their fkill in horfemanfhip. 



This drefs, though fo plain and uniform in itfelf, ferves to diflinguifh the rank and 

 quality of the wearer ; as its price is proportional to the work on it. Some wear 'it 

 as a covering, fome for decency, and others for fhew. Accordingly if thofe of the 

 common people coft only four or five dollars, others have flood the owners in an 

 hundred and fifty, or two hundred. This difference arifes from the finenefs of the 

 ftuff, or from the laces and embroidery with which they are decorated. They are of 

 a double woollen fluff, manufadured by the Indians, and generally of a blue colour, 

 embroidered with red or white, fometimes indeed the ground is white, embroidered 

 with blue, red, and other colours. 



The peafants are furprifingly dexterous in managing the noofe and lance ; and it is 

 very feldom, that, though on full fpeed, they mifs their aim with the former. Accord- 

 ingly thefe are their chief arms, and they will halter a wild bull with the fame agility 

 as any other creature ; nor could a man, however cautious, avoid being taken in their 

 noofe. I fhall relate an inflance of their addrefs, with regard to an Englifhman whom 

 we knew at Lima. He was in the long-boat of a privateer, then lying in Conception 

 bay, intending to land at Talcaguano, \vith a view of plundering the neighbouring 

 villages ; but a body of the country militia made to the fhore in order to oppofe them. 

 Upon this, the Englifh fired upon them with their mufquetry, imagining that would 

 be fufficient to put them to flight, and thus the place be open for them to land. 

 They had no fooner difcharged their pieces, than one of the peafants, though the boat 

 was at a confiderable dillance, threw his noofe, and notwithflanding all in the boat threw 

 themfelves on their faces, he noofed the above-mentioned perfon, pulling him out of ^ 



II the 



