451

CHI

CHI

451

a settlement founded seven leag'ues from the place
called the Puerto, but in 16GS they tied, all of
them, to the mountains, although in the same year
they returned back again to the settlement.

CHIRIGUANA, a large settlement of the pro-
vince and government of Santa Marta in the Nuevo
Reyno de Granada. It is of an hot temperature,
and the territory is level, fertile, and beautiful.
It has besides the parish church a convent or house
of entertainment of the religious order of St.
Francis.

CHIRIGUANOS, a country and nation of the
infidel Indians of the province and government of
Santa Cruz de la Sierra in Peru, from whence it
lies 20 leagues to thes. It is bounded on the e.
by the province of Tomina, and s. e. by that of
Chuquisaca ; is composed of different settlements,
each governed by its captain or cazique, subject,
in a certain degree, to the above government.
These people, though they refuse to adopt the Ca-
tholic religion, are in perfect amity with the Spa-
niards, trading with them in wax, cotton, and
maize. This nation, by the incursions which tliey
made, used at first to give frequent alarm to the
province, and once had the address to capture the
city of Chiquisaca. The Inca Yupanqui en-
deavoured in vain to subdue them, and neither he
nor the Spaniards could avail aught with them
■until they were reduced by the missionaries, the
regulars of the extinguished company of the Je-
suits ; since that time they have been stedfast in
supporting the Spaniards against the other infidels,
serving them as a barrier, and having for their own
line of defence the river Guapay. They are very
valorous, but inconstant and faithless ; they are
descended from the nations which are found to the
e. of Paraguay ; and fled from thence, to the num-
ber of 4000, ^hen avoiding the threatened chastise-
ment of the Portuguese, who were about to inflict
condign punishment on them for having treache-
rously murdered the Captain Alexo Garcia in the
time of the King Don Juan 111. of Portugal.
They were foi'merly cannibals, and used to fatten
their prisoners that these might become better fare ;
but their intercourse and trade with the Spaniards
has caused them by degrees to forget this barbarous
practice, and even to give them a disgust at their
savage neighbours, who still continue in the same
practices. They are at the present day so greatly
increased in numbers, that they are one of the
most numerous nations of America ; are besides
very neat and clean ; and it is not uncommon for
them to rush out of their dwellings in the middle
of the night to plunge and wash themselves in a
river in the most severe seasons ; their wives too.

immediately after parturition, invariably do the
same, and on their return lay themselves on a heap
of sand, which they have for this purpose in the
house; but the husband immediately takes to his
bed, and being covered all over with very large
leaves, refuses to take any other nourishment than
a little broth made of maize ; it being an incorri-
gible error of belief amongst them that these cere-
monies will be the cause of making their children
bold and warlike. They have shewn great power
and address in their combats with our troops when
these first endeavoured to enter their territories,
and they threw themselves in such an agile and un-
daunted manner upon our fire-arms that it was
found necessary, on our part, to insert in the rants
a lance-man between every two fusileers : the v
are, moreover, so extremely nimble that it is
impossible to take them prisoners but by sur-
prise.

CHIRIMICHATE, a river of the province
and government of Venezuela. It rises in the
sierra opposite the point of Hicacos, and enters
the sea in this point.

CHIRINOS, a settlement of the province and
corregimiento of Jaen de Bracamoros in the king-
dom of Quito.

CHIRIQUI, a district of the province and go-
vernment of Santiago de Veragua in the kingdom
of Tierra Firme, the last district of this province ;
dividing the government from that of Guatemala,
and touching upon the province of Costarica.
It is of limited extent ; the country is mountainous,
and its climate hot and unhealthy, surrounded on
all sides by infidel Indians. Here are bred num-
bers of mules, which are carried to be sold at Pa-
nama and Guatemala ; upon the coast of the S.
sea are found crabs which distil a purple colour
used for dyeing cotton, which, although it may
fade a little, can never be entirely eradicated.
They have plenty of swine, and some vegetable pro-
ductions ; with which they carry on a trade, now
fallen much to decay, with the city of Panama.
The capital is Santiago de Alanje.

Same name, a river of the above province (Santiago de Veragua), which
rises in the mountains on the s. and enters the sea,
serving as limits to that province, and dividing it
from that of Costarica in the kingdom of Gua-
temala.

CHIRIS, a settlement of the province and cor-
regimiento of Castro Vireyna in Peru; annexed
to the curacy of Huachos.

CHIRISU, a settlement of the province and
corregimieto of Tunja in the Nuevo Reyno de
Granada. It is of a rather cold temperature, and
abounds in wheat, maize, barley, a/berjas, and
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