Page:Journal of the Right Hon. Sir Joseph Banks.djvu/91

Rh Portuguese custom of naming their discoveries from the saint on whose feast they are made.

It is regular and well built after the fashion of Portugal, every house having before its window a lattice of wood, behind which is a little balcony. In size it is much larger than I could have expected, probably little inferior to any of our country towns in England, Bristol or Liverpool not excepted. The streets are all straight, intersecting each other at right angles, and have this peculiar convenience that the greater number lie in one direction, and are commanded by the guns of their citadel, called St. Sebastian, which is situate on the top of a hill overlooking the town.

It is supplied with water from the neighbouring hills by an aqueduct upon two stories of arches, said in some places to be very high; the water is conveyed into a fountain in the great square immediately opposite the governor's palace. This is guarded by a sentry, who has sufficient work to keep regularity and order among so many as are always in waiting here. Water is laid on in some other part of the town, but how it is brought there I could not hear; the water there is said to be better than the fountain, which is exceedingly indifferent, so much so as not to be liked by us, though we had been two months at sea, in which time our water was almost continually bad.

The churches are very fine, with more ornaments even than those in Europe, and all the ceremonies of their religion are carried on with more show; their processions in particular are very extraordinary. Every day one or other of the parishes has a solemn procession with all the insignia of its church, altar, and host, etc., through the parish, begging for whatever can be got, and praying in all forms at every corner of a street. While we were there one of the largest churches in the town was being rebuilt, and for that reason the parish had leave to walk through the whole city, which was done once a week, and much money collected for the carrying on of the edifice. At this ceremony all boys under a certain age were obliged to