MONASTERY 



OF CHIQUINQUIRA. 



235 



it was safely deposited." The real story 

 I believe to be this, — that the friars of the 

 monastery of St. Domingo, observing the 

 general credulity of the natives, determined 

 to profit by it, and therefore planned and 

 executed the present imposition ; the result 

 has been as they expected, for numerous 

 have been the worshippers to the Virgin's 

 shrine, besides presents and donations receiv- 

 ed to the amount of many millions of dollars. 

 The present church and monastery attach- 

 ed to it, have cost alone two millions of 

 dollars ; and a small town has sprung up, 

 with a population of a thousand souls, 

 where formerly forests held their sway. 



We entered the monastery by the hall, 

 where we found ourselves surrounded by at 

 least fifty or sixty small paintings, repre- 

 senting numerous miracles, said to have 

 been performed by the influence of the 

 Virgin; most of them presented to the 



