LatAm Digital Edition and Gazetteer

294

CAQ

those which form its different mouths : also the island of its name, inhabited by the Guaranos Indians.

CAPUXA, a small settlement of the jurisdiction and alcaldía mayor of Ixmiquilpán, and of the capital of Orizava, in Nueva España.

CAQUETA, a very large and abundant river rising in the province of Sucumbios in the kingdom of Quito, in the mountains of Mocoa, this name being also given to it: it runs from w. to e. On the s. it gathers the waters of the San Pedro, Santa Cruz, and Arevalo, and on the n. those of the Lucia, Pato, Tango, Tabaquero, Cascabeles, Iscanzé, and others of an inferior description. It divides itself into two arms, the one of which takes the name of Yupura, and which, running nearly to the same point as the Marañon, separates itself into other branches, which enter into this latter river in 4° of lat. and immediately become as large and considerable as if they were the main stream : the other arm is also divided into two, the one taking a n. e. course, and entering the Orinoco, and the other running s. e. and bearing the name of the Rio Negro ; by means of which, in the year 1744, some Portuguese came from Marañon to Orinoco, and proved the communication of these rivers, which before was doubted : also by one of the arms of the Yupura, Gonzalo Ximenes de Quesada found his way to the new kingdom of Granada when he undertook its conquest. Some maintain that this river was the Orinoco, and thus has Don Pedro Maldonado represented it in his map published in the year 1750; but that of the Father Bernado Rosella, missionary of the abolished society of the Jesuits in Orinoco, made after the notes and instructions of the Father Manuel Roman, attributes with some confidence another origin to the Orinoco, and speaks of the Caquetá as one of the rivers which enter it on the w. side. The Spanish geographer Cruz, in his General Chart of America, makes no distinction between the Yupura and the Caquetá, and only speaks of one stream, which runs continually to the s. s. e. through the territory of the Cavauris Indians, before it enters the Marañon. He delineates the same as throwing out four branches to the w. and three to the e. all which join the latter river ; and he further states, that before it becomes thus divided, it forms on its n. side two large lakes called Ynabavú and Cumapi ; from the whole of which may be easily inferred how great is the abundance of its waters.

CAQUEZA, a settlement of the corregimiento of Ubaque in the new kingdom of Granada, situate in a warm but pleasant and agreeable soil, although much infested by venomous snakes called tayas :

CAR

it abounds in the productions of a warm climate, contains more than 200 housekeepers, and is nine leagues to the s. w. of Santa Fe, in the road which leads from San Juan de los Llanos to this capital.

CAQUIAUIRI, a settlement of the province and corregimiento of Pacages in Peru.

CAQUINGORA, a settlement of the province and corregimiento of Pacages in Peru.

CARA, an ancient province of the kingdom of Quito towards the w. It extends itself along the coast of the Pacific sea from the point of Pajonal to the bay of Quaquez, for the space of 19 or 20 leagues ; is watered by the rivers Tasagua and Chonos to the s. and by the Jama to the n. The whole of the lands lie low, and are uncultivated and full of wood ; the climate is hot and moist. It is at present united to the province of Esmeraldas.

CARA, the capital, which is now destroyed, was founded by Francisco de Ribas in the year 1562. It was situate in the bay of Cara, which is formed by the mouths of the two rivers Tasagua and Chones : its ruins are still to be seen, and from these was built the settlement of Canoa, at six leagues distance, which was the residence of the lieutenant governor. This settlement was in 31' s. lat.

Cara, with the addition of BELLA, a small settlement of the Portuguese in the province and captainship of Puerto Seguro in Brazil ; situate at the source of the river Prieto, and in the territory or country of the Pories Indians.

CARABAIA, a province and corregimiento of Peru, bounded on the e. by Larecaja, w. by Quispicanchi, n. w. and n. by the territories of the infidel Indians, called Carangues, Sumachuanes, and others, who are separated by the famous river Inambary; s. w. by the province of Canes and Canches or Tinta, and s. by Lampa and Asangaro, and in part by Puno or Paucarcolla. According {o the nice measurements which were made with regard to this province as well as of the others, it is said to be 40 leagues from n. to s. and 50 at the most from e. to w. Its furtherest limits are only 14 leagues distant from Cuzco, although on horseback it is necessary to go a round of 60 leagues. Its climate is various, according to the more or less elevated situation of the country; so that it is in some parts very cold, and in others more temperate. The pastures are good, consequently there is no want of cattle, and in the neighbourhood of the Andes they gather three or four crops of coca in the year. In this province is included that called San Gaban, which was united to it; many settlements having been at the same time added to the provinces of Larecaja, Lampa and Asangaro. It has abounded more in gold than any other province

456

C H O C H O

constitution left the lower people little more freedom than they would have possessed under the government of the Aztec kings.]

The capital is the city of the same name, founded as far back as the time ofthegentilism of the Mexican empire, when this nation was at enmity with that of Chichimeca ; it was then one of the most populous cities, and contained 30,000 inhabitants and 300 temples, and served as a barrier to Moctezuma, in the attack against the republic of Tlaxclala ; the latter place never having been subjected to the Mexican yoke. This was the city which of all others most thwarted the designs of Hernan Cortes, but the inhabitants were discovered in the conspiracy they had laid against him, when they pretended to receive him with open arrhs and a peaceable and friendly disposition, and were made by him to suffer severely for their hypocrisy ; after which he and his whole army escaped uninjured. This city has many monuments denoting its antiquity ; and although in ancient times idolatry was here carried to its highest pitch, yet the light of the gospel has spread widely around its enlivening rays. It is of a mild and healthy temperature, rather inclined to cold than heat, being situate on a level, fertile, and beautiful plain. It has a good convent of the order of St. Francis, which is also a house of studies. Its inhabitants are composed of 50 families of Spaniards, 458 of Mustees, Mulattoes and Negroes, and 606 of Indians. On a lofty spot which lies close to the entrance, on the c. side of the city, is a handsome chapel, in which is venerated the image of the blessed virgin, which also bears the dedicatory title of Los Rentedios. It is a little more than 20 leagues to the e. of Mexico, and four from Tlaxclala. Long. 98° 14'. Lat. 19° 4'. [Its population is at present estimated at about 16,000 souls.]

CHONE, a settlement which in former times was considerable, but now much impoverished, in the ancient province of Cara, which is at present united to that of Esmeraldas. It lies upon the shore of the river Chones to the n. and is of an hot and moist climate, in lat. 33° s.

CHONES, a large river of the province of Cara in the kingdom of Quito. It runs to the w. and collects the waters of the Sanchez and theTossagua on the n. and on the s. those of the Camaron and the Platanal. At its entrance on the n. stood the city of Cara, of which the vestiges still remain. Where it runs into the sea it forms the bay of Cara, between the s. point of Bellaca and the n. point of laca. Its mouth is nearly two miles and an half wide.

CHONGO, San Miguel de, a settlement of the alcaldíta mayor of Huamelula. It is of a very cold temperature, from its being situate in the vicinity of the sierra Nevada (or Snowy) of the Chontales, which lies on the n. side of it. Its inhabitants amount to 24 families of Indians, who trade in cochineal, seeds, and fruits, of which the country, being naturally luxuriant, produces great quantities. It is watered by rivers which pass at a little distance, and is annexed to the curacy of Tepaltepec of the jurisdiction and alcaldia mayor of Nexapa, from whence it lies 20 leagues. It is-, on account of this great distance, combined with the badness of the roads, that the natives so seldom can avail themselves of any instruction in the holy faith ; dying, as they often do, without the administration of the sacraments. Indeed, there is only one day in the year, which is the 29th of September, and on which the Indians celebrate the festival of their titular saint Michael, when they are visited by their curate, who then hears their confessions and says mass. At this time this settlement has somewhat the appearance of a Catholic people ; but being all the rest of the year left to themselves, it is not to be wondered that many relapse into their pristine state of gentilisra and idolatry. Three leagues w. of its capital.

CHONGON, a settlement of Indians of the province and government of Guayaquil in the kingdom of Quito; situate near a small torrent, renowned for the stones which it washes down, of a certain crystallized matter, which being polished, resemble brilliants, and are used as buttons, rings, and other trinkets.

CHONGOS, a settlement of the province and corregimiento of Xauxa in Peru.

CHONTA, a settlement of the province and corregimiento of Abancay in Peru.

Other, another settlement in the province and corregimiento of Guamalies of the same kingdom, famous for its mine of quicksilver.

CHONTAI, a settlement of the province and corregimiento of Huarochiri in Peru ; annexed to the curacy of Chorrillo.

CHONTALES, a district of the corregimiento or alcaldia mayor of Matagulpa, in the kingdom of Guatemala and province of Nicaragua. It is but small, and its natives have this name from the Spaniards, who would by it express their natural uncouthness and stupidity.

CHOPADA, a settlement of the Portuguese, in the kingdom of Brazil and country of the Guayazas Indians ; situate on the bank and at the source of the river Tocantines.

CHOPARE, a river of the province and government of Moxos in the kingdom of Quito. It flows