178 A VOYAGE TO Book VII. 



gunpowder, that a fufficient quantity of it may not be 

 wanting, either on any exigency, or for fireworks on 

 holidays, and other anniverfary rejoicings which are 

 pun6luaily kept. But the moft fplendid ceremony is 

 on the acceffion of the new monarch to the Spanifh 

 throne, when the governor, alcaldes, regidores, to- 

 gether with all the civil and military officers, appear 

 in new uniforms, and other ornaments, to exprefs the 

 ardent affedlion they bear their new fovereign. 



Every church has its band of mufic, confifting 

 of a great number both of vocal and inftrumental per- 

 formers. Divine fervice is celebrated in them with all 

 the pomp and folemnity of cathedrals. The like is 

 oblerved in public proceffions, efpecially that on 

 Corpus Chrifti day, at which the governor, alcaldes, 

 and regidores, in their habits of ceremony, and the 

 militia in their uniforms, affifl : the reft of the peo- 

 ple carry flambeaux ; fo that the whole is condudled 

 with an order and reverence fuitable to the occafion. 

 Thefe proceffions are accompanied with fine dancing, 

 but very different from that in the province of Quito, 

 defcribed in the firft volume; and the performers 

 wear particular drefies, extremely rich, and well adapt- 

 ed to the characlers reprefented. In ffiort, a miffio- 

 nary town omits no circumftance either of feftivity 

 or devotion, pradifed in opulent cities. 



Every town has a kind of Beaterio, where women 

 of ill fame are placed ; it alfo ferves for the retreat of 

 married women who have no families, during the 

 abfence of their hufbands. For the fupport of this 

 houfe^ and alfo of orphans and others, who by age 

 or any other circumftance are difabled from earning 

 a livelihood, two days in the week are fct apart *, 

 when the inhabitants of every village are obliged to 

 fow and cultivate a certain piece ot ground, called 

 Labor de la Comunidad, the labour of the commu- 

 nity ; and the furplus of the produce is applied to 

 procure furniture and decoratians for the church, and 



to 



