454

454

C H O

Spaniards, and the rest having fled, and thus
penetrating n. have confounded themselves with
other nations. It abounds in maize, plantains,
and cacao of an excellent quality ; its gold mines
render it rich and well peopled ; it also carries on,
through this branch of revenue, a great commerce
with the province of Popayan, the nativ'es of that
place coming here to purchase gold, and leaving
in exchange whatever is necessary for the comfort
and convenience of life. There is no inconsider-
able number of Negro slaves employed in work-
ing the mines, and in 1750 they amounted to
20,000, without mentioning the men of colour,
such as the Mustees and Mulattoes, and even Whites
who are engaged in this lucrative concern. The
climate is warm, but moist from the continual
rains, and consequently unhealthy. This country
abounds in tigers, wild boars, alligators, parrots,
monkeys of various sorts, and a multitude of rep-
tiles and insects, especially in vipers and ve-
nomous snakes ; such as corales, exis, and rattle-
snakes. Here are also an infinite variety of beau-
tiful sorts of wood, curious balsams, herbs, fruits,
and flowers. It was subject to the government of
Popayan, until it became divided in the time of
Don Fernando Guerrero. All the gold which is
taken out of the mines here, and which is the cur-
rent money, was formerly carried to be coined at
the mint of Santa Fe, until that the house of
Valencia established another, at its own cost, in the
city of Popayan ; this privilege having been first
granted that house by the mayoralty, though it
was afterwards taken away and added by the king
to the crown, upon the payment of a compensation
of 100,000 reals per annum to the original pro-
prietors. This province extends 48 leagues from
s. to n. and is 39 in width from e. to w. The
capital is the city of Nevita.

[Choco, Canal of. In the interior of the pro-
vince of Choco, the small ravine (quebrada) De
la Raspadura unites the neighbouring sources of
the Rio de Noanama, called also Rio San Juan,
and the small river Quito : the latter, the Rio
Andageda, and the Rio Zitasa, form the Rio
d’Atrata, which discharges itself into the Atlantic
ocean, while the Rio San Juan flows into the S.
sea. A monk of great activity, cure of the village
of Novita, employed his parishioners to dig a
small canal in the ravine De la Raspadura, by
means of which, when the rains are abundant,
canoes loaded with cacao pass from sea to sea.
Th is interior communication has existed since
1788, unknown in Europe. The small canal of
Raspadura unites, on the coasts of the two oceans,

C H O

two points 75 leagues distant from one ano-
ther.]

CHOCO, San Juan Chrisostomo de , another
settlement of the province and corregimiento of
Condesuyos de Arequipa in Peru.

[CHOCOLATE Creek, a head-water of Tioga
river in New York, whose mouth lies 10 miles
s. w. of the Painted post.]

[CHOCOLOCO-CA, which the Spaniards call
Castro Vireyna, a town of Peru, 60 leagues s. e.
of Lima, is very famous for its silver mines,
which are at the top of a great mountain always
covered with snow, and but two leagues from the
town. The stones of the mine are, of a dark blue
colour ; these being calcined and powdered, then
steeped in water and quicksilver, the filth is sepa-
rated, and the silver melted and formed into bars.
These veins are not very rich, but the metal is very
fine. They make plenty of wine here, where it
attains a greater degree of perfection, owing to the
pureness of the air, than it is observed to have else-
where.]

CHOCONA, a settlement of the province and
corregimiento of Paria in Peru; annexed to the
curacy of Toledo.

CHOCONTA, a settlement of the corregimiento
of Guatavita in the Nuevo Reyno de Granada.
It is of a cold but healthy temperature, being
situate upon a llanura. It produces abundance
of wheat, maize, papas, barley, and garlic, of the
whole of which an abundant crop is gathered ;
these indeed form the principal branches of its
commerce, as they supply all the neighbouring
provinces. It was , in the time of the Indians a
large, rich, and populous city, and the barrier
of the province of Tunja; also the place where
the zipas held a garrison of their best troops.
This city was entered by Gonzalo Ximinez de
Quesada in 1537, when he gave it the name of
Espiritu Santo, from this festival having been
celebrated here. After the conquest of the Spa-
niards it became a became a curacy of the relio-ion
of St. Domingo, and was one of those which was
considered the first step to the advantages to be
derived from these missions. It was close to this
settlement that the sanguinary conflict took place
which was fought between Michua, king of Tunja,
and Saguanmachica, zipa or king of Bogota, in
which both princes fell dead upon the field ; at
present it is a small village of Indians, who amount
to the number of 200, besides 400 other inhabi-
tants, who consist of whites. Ten leagues n. of
Santa Fe, and as many from Tunja, just midway
betweeen these two jurisdictions.

Españoles, y otros han huido, internándose a la parte del N, en que se han confundido con las demás naciones: abunda en maiz, plátanos, y cacao de excelente calidad; sus minas de oro la hacen muy rica y poblada, lo que la mantiene un gran comercio con la de Popayan, de donde sus naturales van a comprar el oro, llevando en cambio quanto es necesario para la vida: tiene un número muy considerable de Negros esclavos empleados en el trabajo de las minas, y el año de 1750 llegaba a 200, sin otra gente de color como Mestizos y Mulatos y algunos Blancos, que se ocupan en este lucroso trabajo: el clima es caliente y húmedo por las continuas lluvias, y por eso mal sano: abunda de tigres, jabalíes, cocodrilos o caymanes, papagayos, monos de varías especies y multitud de insectos, especialmente de vivoiras y culebras venenosas como corales, exis, cascabeles, etc: hay también infinitas maderas exquisitas, bálsamos, yerbas, frutas y flores singulares: estuvo sujeta al Gobierno de Popayan, hasta que en tiempo de Don Fernando Guerrero se dividió: todo el oro que se saca, y es la moneda corriente, se llevaba a fundir,ántes a la Casa de Moneda de Santa Fe, hasta que la Casa de Valencia de Popayan estableció a su costa otra en esta Ciudad, que al principio fue concedida por Mayorazgo, y después, habiéndola agregado el Rey a la Corona, les dio en compensación 1000 reales anuales: se extiende esta Provincia 48 leguas del S al N, y 39 de ancho de Levante a Poniente: la Capital es la Ciudad de Novita.

Tiene el mismo nombre con la advocación de San Juan Chrisóstomo otro Pueblo de la Provincia y Corregimiento de Condesuyos de Arequipa en el Perú.

CHOCOÑA, Pueblo de la Provincia y Corregimiento de Paria en el Perú, anexo al Curato de Toledo.

CHOCONTA, Pueblo del Corregimiento de Gualavita en el Nuevo Reyno de Granada: es de temperamento frío pero sano, situado en una llanura: produce mucho trigo, maiz, papas, cebada y ajos, de que coge una abundantísima cosecha, y hace su principal comercio para abastecer las demás Provincias inmediatas: era en tiempo de los Indios Ciudad grande, rica y populosa, antemural de la Provincia de Tunja, donde tenian los Zipas una numerosa guarnición de sus mejores tropas: entró en ella Gonzalo Ximenez de Quesada el año de 1537, y le puso por nombre Ciudad del Espíritu Santo, por haber celebrado allí esta Pascua: después de la conquista de los Españoles fue Curato de la Religión de Santo Domingo, y uno de los que eligieron para escala de sus Misiones: delante de esta población se dio la cruel batalla entre Michua, Rey de Tunja, y Saguanmachicá, Zipa o Rey de Bogotá, en que ambos Príncipes quedaron muertos en el campo: hoy es un corto Pueblo de Indios que llegarán a 200, ademas de otros 400 vecinos blancos: está 10 leguas al N de Santa Fe, y otras tantas de Tunja, en la medianía que divide los límites de estas dos jurisdicciones.

454

C H O

Spaniards, and the rest having fled, and thus
penetrating n. have confounded themselves with
other nations. It abounds in maize, plantains,
and cacao of an excellent quality ; its gold mines
render it rich and well peopled ; it also carries on,
through this branch of revenue, a great commerce
with the province of Popayan, the nativ'es of that
place coming here to purchase gold, and leaving
in exchange whatever is necessary for the comfort
and convenience of life. There is no inconsider-
able number of Negro slaves employed in work-
ing the mines, and in 1750 they amounted to
20,000, without mentioning the men of colour,
such as the Mustees and Mulattoes, and even Whites
who are engaged in this lucrative concern. The
climate is warm, but moist from the continual
rains, and consequently unhealthy. This country
abounds in tigers, wild boars, alligators, parrots,
monkeys of various sorts, and a multitude of rep-
tiles and insects, especially in vipers and ve-
nomous snakes ; such as corales, exis, and rattle-
snakes. Here are also an infinite variety of beau-
tiful sorts of wood, curious balsams, herbs, fruits,
and flowers. It was subject to the government of
Popayan, until it became divided in the time of
Don Fernando Guerrero. All the gold which is
taken out of the mines here, and which is the cur-
rent money, was formerly carried to be coined at
the mint of Santa Fe, until that the house of
Valencia established another, at its own cost, in the
city of Popayan ; this privilege having been first
granted that house by the mayoralty, though it
was afterwards taken away and added by the king
to the crown, upon the payment of a compensation
of 100,000 reals per annum to the original pro-
prietors. This province extends 48 leagues from
s. to n. and is 39 in width from e. to w. The
capital is the city of Nevita.

[Choco, Canal of. In the interior of the pro-
vince of Choco, the small ravine (quebrada) De
la Raspadura unites the neighbouring sources of
the Rio de Noanama, called also Rio San Juan,
and the small river Quito : the latter, the Rio
Andageda, and the Rio Zitasa, form the Rio
d’Atrata, which discharges itself into the Atlantic
ocean, while the Rio San Juan flows into the S.
sea. A monk of great activity, cure of the village
of Novita, employed his parishioners to dig a
small canal in the ravine De la Raspadura, by
means of which, when the rains are abundant,
canoes loaded with cacao pass from sea to sea.
Th is interior communication has existed since
1788, unknown in Europe. The small canal of
Raspadura unites, on the coasts of the two oceans,

C H O

two points 75 leagues distant from one ano-
ther.]

CHOCO, San Juan Chrisostomo de , another
settlement of the province and corregimiento of
Condesuyos de Arequipa in Peru.

[CHOCOLATE Creek, a head-water of Tioga
river in New York, whose mouth lies 10 miles
s. w. of the Painted post.]

[CHOCOLOCO-CA, which the Spaniards call
Castro Vireyna, a town of Peru, 60 leagues s. e.
of Lima, is very famous for its silver mines,
which are at the top of a great mountain always
covered with snow, and but two leagues from the
town. The stones of the mine are, of a dark blue
colour ; these being calcined and powdered, then
steeped in water and quicksilver, the filth is sepa-
rated, and the silver melted and formed into bars.
These veins are not very rich, but the metal is very
fine. They make plenty of wine here, where it
attains a greater degree of perfection, owing to the
pureness of the air, than it is observed to have else-
where.]

CHOCONA, a settlement of the province and
corregimiento of Paria in Peru; annexed to the
curacy of Toledo.

CHOCONTA, a settlement of the corregimiento
of Guatavita in the Nuevo Reyno de Granada.
It is of a cold but healthy temperature, being
situate upon a llanura. It produces abundance
of wheat, maize, papas, barley, and garlic, of the
whole of which an abundant crop is gathered ;
these indeed form the principal branches of its
commerce, as they supply all the neighbouring
provinces. It was , in the time of the Indians a
large, rich, and populous city, and the barrier
of the province of Tunja; also the place where
the zipas held a garrison of their best troops.
This city was entered by Gonzalo Ximinez de
Quesada in 1537, when he gave it the name of
Espiritu Santo, from this festival having been
celebrated here. After the conquest of the Spa-
niards it became a became a curacy of the relio-ion
of St. Domingo, and was one of those which was
considered the first step to the advantages to be
derived from these missions. It was close to this
settlement that the sanguinary conflict took place
which was fought between Michua, king of Tunja,
and Saguanmachica, zipa or king of Bogota, in
which both princes fell dead upon the field ; at
present it is a small village of Indians, who amount
to the number of 200, besides 400 other inhabi-
tants, who consist of whites. Ten leagues n. of
Santa Fe, and as many from Tunja, just midway
betweeen these two jurisdictions.

Españoles, y otros han huido, internándose a la parte del N, en que se han confundido con las demás naciones: abunda en maiz, plátanos, y cacao de excelente calidad; sus minas de oro la hacen muy rica y poblada, lo que la mantiene un gran comercio con la de Popayan, de donde sus naturales van a comprar el oro, llevando en cambio quanto es necesario para la vida: tiene un número muy considerable de Negros esclavos empleados en el trabajo de las minas, y el año de 1750 llegaba a 200, sin otra gente de color como Mestizos y Mulatos y algunos Blancos, que se ocupan en este lucroso trabajo: el clima es caliente y húmedo por las continuas lluvias, y por eso mal sano: abunda de tigres, jabalíes, cocodrilos o caymanes, papagayos, monos de varías especies y multitud de insectos, especialmente de vivoiras y culebras venenosas como corales, exis, cascabeles, etc: hay también infinitas maderas exquisitas, bálsamos, yerbas, frutas y flores singulares: estuvo sujeta al Gobierno de Popayan, hasta que en tiempo de Don Fernando Guerrero se dividió: todo el oro que se saca, y es la moneda corriente, se llevaba a fundir,ántes a la Casa de Moneda de Santa Fe, hasta que la Casa de Valencia de Popayan estableció a su costa otra en esta Ciudad, que al principio fue concedida por Mayorazgo, y después, habiéndola agregado el Rey a la Corona, les dio en compensación 1000 reales anuales: se extiende esta Provincia 48 leguas del S al N, y 39 de ancho de Levante a Poniente: la Capital es la Ciudad de Novita.

Tiene el mismo nombre con la advocación de San Juan Chrisóstomo otro Pueblo de la Provincia y Corregimiento de Condesuyos de Arequipa en el Perú.

CHOCOÑA, Pueblo de la Provincia y Corregimiento de Paria en el Perú, anexo al Curato de Toledo.

CHOCONTA, Pueblo del Corregimiento de Gualavita en el Nuevo Reyno de Granada: es de temperamento frío pero sano, situado en una llanura: produce mucho trigo, maiz, papas, cebada y ajos, de que coge una abundantísima cosecha, y hace su principal comercio para abastecer las demás Provincias inmediatas: era en tiempo de los Indios Ciudad grande, rica y populosa, antemural de la Provincia de Tunja, donde tenian los Zipas una numerosa guarnición de sus mejores tropas: entró en ella Gonzalo Ximenez de Quesada el año de 1537, y le puso por nombre Ciudad del Espíritu Santo, por haber celebrado allí esta Pascua: después de la conquista de los Españoles fue Curato de la Religión de Santo Domingo, y uno de los que eligieron para escala de sus Misiones: