366 AVOYAGETO Book IX. 



the greatefl part of them have fincc been built of 

 flone. They all have only a ground floor, except 

 here and there one with a ftory. Befides the parifli 

 church, which adds an ornament to the fquare where 

 it (lands, here is a college of Jefuits, who have the 

 care of the fpiritual concerns of the inhabitants, and 

 difcharge it with exemplary affedion and fedulity. 

 Indeed at the firft fettlement of the French here, 

 the priefhs were capuchins ; but the latter being ei- 

 ther unable to bear the climate, or not bleffed with 

 a fufiicient ftock of patience to reconcile themfelves 

 to it, forfook the churches^ on which the Jefuits 

 took charge of them. Here is alfo a nunnery of 

 Urfclines recently founded, and a convent of religi- 

 ous of San Juan de Dios. About three quarters of a 

 league from the town is an hofpital, remarkably fpaci- 

 ous and beautiful, and vv^hich receives all patients who 

 apply for admittance. The pariili cliurch, though a 

 handfome building, has not yet recovered the dama- 

 ges it fuftained at the (ire. The college of Jefuits 

 is a mofl: elegant ftrudlure in every refped ; and 

 though not large, is fufficient for the conveniency of 

 the^fathers generally refiding in it, which never exceed 

 fix. The nunnery is of greater extent ; but by the 

 king's order that the increafe of the town may not be 

 obflrucled, no young women natives of the country 

 are allowed to take the veil, lb that it can only be con- 

 fidered as a place of genteel and regular education^ 

 till they are of age to enter on another Hate. 



The town lies open without any other defence 

 than a fingle rampart, two batteries on the fea-fide, 

 and a little fort on the point of Puolet for defend- 

 ing the entrance of the harbour^ at about two 

 thirds of a league from the town. The regular gar- 

 rifon both for it and the place itfelf confiils partly of 

 French and partly Switzers, befrdes a numerous and 

 complete body of militia formed of all the inhabi- 

 tants capable of bearing arms, who are difciplinedj 



and 



