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CARACAS.

and it is, indeed, pretty generally believed that
this cross was left here by the above apostle.

CARAC, a settlement of the province and cor-
regimiento of Canta in Peru ; annexed to the cu-
racy of Lampian.

CARACARA, an ancient and small province of
Charcas in Peru, to the s. of Cuzco, and the last
of those conquered by the sixth Emperor or Inca.

CARACARES, a large lake of the province and
government of Paraguay. It is 26 leagues in
length, and has many fertile islands, inhabited by
barbarian Indians, and empties itself through a
canal into the river Paraná on the e. side. It is
in 30° 41' s. lat.

CARACAS, Santiago de Leon de, a capital
city of the province of Venezuela, founded by
Diego Losada in the year 1566, in a beautiful and
extensive valley of more than four leagues in
length. It is of a very mild temperature, being
neither troubled with excessive heat or cold. It is
watered by four rivers, which fertilize its territory,
and make it abound as well in delicate waters as
in exquisite fruits and flowers: the streets are wide
and straight, the buildings elegant and convenient,
and it is ornamented by four marts. It is the seat
of the bishopric, erected in the city of Coro in
1532, and translated to this spot in 1636. It has
a beautiful cathedral church, besides some parish
chapels, which are Nuestra Señora de Alta Gra-
cia ; San Pablo, which is also an hospital, and
Nuestra Señora de la Candelaria, out of the walls
of the city. There is also an hospital De la Ca-
ridad (of charity) for women ; a convent of the re-
ligious order of Santo Domingo, in which is held
in high respect the wonderful image of the Virgin
of the Rosary, presented by Philip II. There is
another convent of San Francisco, in which is
preserved a piece of the wood of the cross left by
the Governor Don Martin de Robles Villafañate ;
another of our Lady of La Merced ; a monastery
of religious women of La Concepcion ; another of
the Carmelites Descalzas (barefooted) ; a college and
seminary for the education of youth, with five ca-
thedrals ; four hermitages dedicated to San Mau-
ricio, Santa Rosalia de Palermo, La Divina Pas-
tora, and La Santisima Trinidad. Charles II.
granted to this city the privilege of allowing its
alcaldes to govern the province in the vacancy of
a governor ; and Philip V. permitted a commer-
cial company of Biscayans to be established, who
reaped considerable affluence, especially in the ar-
tiles of cacoa and sugar, the chief source of its re-
venues ; but this company was abolished in the
reign of Charles III. in the year 1778 ; which cir-
cumstance was considered by the city and the pro-

vince as a most considerable privilege. The num-
ber of inhabitants amounts to about 1000, besides
an infinity of people of colour by whom it is in-
habited. The natives have shown themselves to
be of an ingenuous disposition, clever, affable, and
courteous. Its arms are a grey lion rampant in a
field of silver, having between his arms a scollop-
shell of gold, with the cross of Santiago ; and the
crest is a crown with five points of gold. It was
sacked in 1566 by Sir Francis Drake, who came
thither in an English cruiser ; also by the French
in 1679. It is three leagues distant from the port
of Guaira. Long. 67° w. Lat. 10° 30' n.

The bishops who have presided in this city.

1. Don Rodrigo Bastidas, dean of the holy
church of St. Domingo, the chief of the visitation
of the bishopric of Puertorico; elected on the 27th
October 1535, and who died in 1542.

2. Don Miguel Gerónimo Ballesteros, dean of
the church of Cartagena of the Indies ; elected
in 1543.

3. Don Fr. Pedro de Agreda, of the order of
St. Domingo, collegiate of San Gregorio of Val-
ladolid ; presented to this bishopric in 1558, and
taking possession of it 1560. In his time the city
was sacked by the English : he died in 1580.

4. Don Fr. Juan de Manzanillo, of the order of
St. Domingo ; presented in the year 1582 ; he re-
built the church, and died in 1593.

5. Don Fr. Diego Salinas, of the order of St.
Domingo, native of Medina del Campo, colle-
giate of San Gregorio de Valladolid, prior in dif-
ferent convents, procurator-general in the court,
and elected bishop in the year 1600 : in the fol-
lowing year he died.

6. Don Fr. Pedro Martin Palomino, of the order
of St. Domingo ; elected in 1601 : he died the same
year.

7. Don Fr. Pedro de Oña, native of Burgos, of
the order of our Lady of La Merced ; he was even-
ing lecturer in the university of Santiago, elected
bishop in 1601, canonized in the convent of Val-
ladolid, and before he came to his church, was
promoted to the bishopric of Gaeta, in the king-
dom of Naples, in 1604.

8. Don Fr. Antonio de Alcega, of the order of
St. Francis ; he Avas formerly married, and held
the office of accountant to the royal estates in Yu-
catán, when he became a widower, and giving all
he possessed as alms to the poor, he took to a re-
ligious life, and Philip III. being charmed with
his virtues presented him to this bishopric in
1664 ; he celebrated the synod in Caracas the
year following, and died in 1609.

9. Don Fr. Juan de Bohorques, native of Mex-