t^6 A VOYAGE TO Book VIIL 



The churches are fmall and mean ; the fame may be 

 liiid of the Francifcan, Auguftine, and Dominican 

 convents, as well as thoie belonging to the fathers of 

 fnercy : but the college of Jefiiits is not wholly defli- 

 tote of elegance, being will built and of a tolerable 

 grchitecture, 



Ths political government of this city confifls of 

 corregidor^ nominated by the king, and v^ho is at 

 the head of the ordinary alcaldes and the regidores. 

 During the vacancy of this poR-, the' duty is per- 

 formed by the prefident of Chili, who is governor, 

 and captain -general of the whole kingdom, and 

 p-refident of the audience of Santiago, on which, its 

 capital^ Conception is dependant. The court of au- 

 dience was originally efcablifhed in the latter, and 

 continued there from, the year 1567, to 1574; but 

 trhe danger and diilurbances, occafioned by the fre- 

 quent revoh.s of the Indians, caufed it for a while 

 to be fuppreiTed, and afterwards to be removed tc> 

 the city of Santiago. The prendent is, however^ 

 obliged to refide fix months of the year at Concep- 

 tion,, that he may attend carefully to the military 

 concerns of the frontiers, lee that the forts be in 

 a good condition, and well provided with every 

 thing, in order to keep the Indians of" Arauco in 

 sv/e, ard that the military. forces are in good order, 

 and wtH difciplined, and always in readinefs to repel 

 ^ny attem.pts of tiie Indians, provided they fliould 

 ever abandon their dread of the Spanifh troops. 

 During the odier lix m.onths, when the governor re- 

 fides at Santiago, he a61s in a very different cha- 

 rsckr-, hearing com.plaints, redrefilng grievances, and 

 sdminiilring iuilice, that this tribunal may receive 

 ' the greater dignity fr(3m his prefence. Here is alfo 

 a chamber of finances, at the head of which is an 

 accountant and treafurer, Befides vmlch Conception 

 has likewife all the other courts and offices ufual in 

 tm: clitics of South America.. 



As 



