Ch. IV. SOUTH AMERICA. 253 



mentioned, all the reft are crooked, and deftitute both 

 of fymmetry and order. Some of them are croffed by 

 breaches, and thehoufes ftand on the fides of their wind- 

 ing courle and irregular projedlions. Thus fome part3 

 of the city are fituated at the bottom of thofe breaches, 

 while others ftand on their lummits. The principal 

 ftreets are paved but thofe which are not, are almoft 

 impaffable after rain, which is here very common. 



Besides the principal fquare, there are two others 

 very fpacious, together with feveral that are fmaller. 

 In thefe the greateft part of the convents are fituated, 

 and make a handfome appearance the fronts and por- 

 tals being adorned with all the embellifhments of 

 architeclure ; particularly the convent of the order of 

 Francifcans, which, being wholly of free-ftone, muft 

 have coft a prodigious fum ; and indeed the juftnefs of 

 the proportions, the difpofition of the parts, the elegant 

 tafte and execution of the work, render it equal to 

 moft of the admired buildings in Europe. 



The principal houfes are large; fome of them have 

 fpacious and well-contrived apartments, though none 

 are above one ftory in height, which is feldom without 

 a balcony toward the ftreet ; but their doors and win- 

 dows, particularly thofe within, are very low and nar- 

 row, following in thefe particulars the old cuftom of 

 the Indians, who conftantly built their houfes among 

 breaches and inequalities, and were alfo careful to 

 make the doors very narrow. The Spaniards plead in 

 defence of this cuftom, that the apartments are freer 

 from wind but be that as it may, I am inclined to 

 think that this peculiarity owed its origin to a blind 

 imitation of the Indians. 



The materials made ufe of in building at Qiiito 

 are adobes, or unburnt bricks, and clay ; and to the 

 making of the former the earth is fo well adapted, that 

 they laft a long time, provided they are defended from 

 the rain. They are cemented or joined together by 

 13 certain fubftance called fangagua, a fpecies of mor- 

 tar 



