saS A VOYAGE TO BookVII. 



is never ex(!»effive, nor is the heat troiiblefome ; fo 

 that the fields are always cloathed with verdure and 

 enamelled with flowers, as in a perpetual fpring. The 

 inhabitants enjoy an exempt'on from many^^difeafes 

 common in other countries, partly owing to their care 

 in keeping the ilreets clean by means of canals which 

 extend to a river running near the city ^ and by thefe 

 all the filth of the city is fwept away. 



But thefe pleafares and advantages are allayed 

 by the dreadful fnocks of earthquakes, to which, 

 in conimon with all thofe parts of America, it is fo 

 fubjedl, that it has been four times by thefe convul- 

 lions of nature laid in ruins befides other fmall 

 fnocks not attended with fuch terrible confequences. 

 The firfb of thofe was felt in 1582 ; the fecond on 

 the 24th of February 1600, which v/as accompa- 

 nied with an eruption of a volcano called Guayna- 

 Patina, in the neighbourhood of the city-, the third 

 happened in 1604, and the laft in 1725. And tho' 

 the defolation attending the three laft was not fo 

 iiniverfal, yet the public buildings, , and the moft 

 ilately houfes were laid in ruins. 



The city is very populous, and among its inha- 

 bitants many noble families, this being the place 

 where moft of the Spaniards fettled, on account of 

 the goodnefs of the air, and the fertility of the foil ^ 

 as alfo for the conveniency of commerce at the port 

 of Aranta, which is only twenty leagues diftant. 

 The civil, political and military government of the 

 city is executed by a corregidor, who is placed at the 

 head of the regidores, from which are annually chofea 

 two ordinary Alcaldes. 



The city of Arequipa did belong to the dioccfs 

 of Cufco, till the year 1609, when it Vv?as erected 

 into a particular bifhoprick on the 20Lh of July. 

 The chapter befides the bifhop confift of the five 

 iifual dignitaries, namely, the dean, archdeacon, chan- 

 tor, redorj and treafurerj three canons ,and two 



prebends. 



