Ch. III. SOUTH AMERICA. 337 



included, exceeds four hundred. The other nunnery 

 is of the order of Santa Terefa. All thefe convents 

 and their churches are pretty large and if the latter 

 do not dazzle the fight with the fplendor of their orna- 

 ments, they do not want any which decency requires. 

 Here was formerly a convent of bare-footed Carme- 

 lites, built on a fpacious plain, near the top of the 

 mountain of M, from v/hence, on account of the 

 fliarpnefs of the winds, the fathers fome time after 

 removed to the foot of the mountain. But they were 

 alfo foon difgufted with their new fituation the dry 

 and faked Fiili, fallads, .and fuch like, being the only 

 particulars w^hich this country affords, fuitable to the 

 perpetual abflinence of their order ^ and accordingly 

 they ao-ain retired to then* orisiinal fituation, chufino; 

 rather to fuffer the inclemency of the weather, than 

 be confined to difagreeable food. This was the cafe 

 of another convent of the fam.e order founded at La- 

 tacunga, where there is alfo no frefn fJli of any fore 

 to be had. It mull however be obierved, that the 

 Terefian convents, who are under the fame vow of 

 abltinence, are not difcouraged by thefe inconveniences; 

 nor is there a fingle inftance of any deficiency in the 

 appointed number of nuns. 



From the mountain of M, ifTues a river, which 

 by running through the city, befides other conveni- 

 ences, carries away all its foil. Two bridges are 

 ere6led over it, one of ftone and the other of wood. 

 The name of this river is del Molino. Its waters 

 have a particular medicinal virtue, which they are 

 thought to derive from the many briars through 

 which they flow. In this mountain is alfo a fp ring 

 of very charming v^^ater-, but, not being fufficient to 

 fupply the whole city, it is conveyed to the nunneries, 

 and the houfes of men of rank. A little above a league 

 to the north of Popayan, runs the river Cauca. It is 

 very large and deep, its current rapid, and fubje6t to 

 dangerous fweilings in the months of June, Jul}^ and 

 Vol. I. Z Auguflj 



