Ch. IV. SOUTH AMERICA; 259 



Ions of eminence, never fail to affift. But the fingu- 

 lar pomp of the proceflion of the hoft in the former, 

 and the dances of the Indians, muft not be omitted. 

 Every houfe of the flreets through which it pafleS 

 are adorned with rich hangings ; and fuperb tri- 

 umphal arches are ereded, v/ith altars at ftated dif- 

 tances, and higher than the houfes, on which, as on 

 the triumphal arches, the fpedlator fees, with admi- 

 ration, immenfe quantities of wrought plate, and 

 jewels, difpofed in fuch an elegant manner as to ren- 

 der the whole even more pleafing than the aPconilh- 

 ing quantity of riches. This fplendor, together with 

 the magnificent dreffes of the perfons who affifc at 

 the proceflion, render the whole extremely folemn^ 

 and the pomp and decorum are both continued to 

 the end of the ceremony. 



With regard to the dances, it is a cuftom, both 

 among the parifhes of Quito and all thofe of the 

 mountains, that the prieft, a month before the cele- 

 bration of the feafts, lele6ls a number of Indians who 

 are to be the dancers. Thefe immediately begin to 

 pradife the dances they ufed before their converfion 

 to Chrifiianity. The mufic is a pipe and tabor, and 

 the moft extraordinary of their motions fome auk- 

 ward capers ; in lliort, the whole is little to the tafte 

 of an European. Within a few days of the folem- 

 nity, they drefs themfelves in a doublet, a fhirt, and 

 a woman's petticoat, adorned in the fineft mannet 

 poffible. Over their {lockings they wear a kind of 

 pinked bufkins, on which are faftened a great num- 

 ber of bells. Their head and face they cover with a 

 kind of mafk, formed of ribbands of leveral colours. 

 Drefled in this fantaftical garb, they proudly call 

 themfelves angels, unite in companies of eight ot 

 ten, and fpend the whole day in roving about the 

 ftreets, highly delighted with the jingling of their 

 bells ; and frequently flop and dance, to gain the ap* 

 plaufes of the ignorant multitude, who are ftrangers 



S 2 to 



