LatAm Digital Edition and Gazetteer

296

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 corregimiento of Canta in Peru ; annexed to the curacy 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 Gracia ; 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 Caridad (of charity) for women ; a convent of the religious 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 cathedrals ; four hermitages dedicated to San Mauricio, Santa Rosalia de Palermo, La Divina Pastora, 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 commercial company of Biscayans to be established, who reaped considerable affluence, especially in the artiles of cacoa and sugar, the chief source of its revenues ; but this company was abolished in the reign of Charles III. in the year 1778 ; which circumstance was considered by the city and the pro-

vince as a most considerable privilege. The number of inhabitants amounts to about 1000, besides an infinity of people of colour by whom it is inhabited. 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 scollopshell 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 Valladolid ; 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 rebuilt the church, and died in 1593.

5. Don Fr. Diego Salinas, of the order of St. Domingo, native of Medina del Campo, collegiate of San Gregorio de Valladolid, prior in different convents, procurator-general in the court, and elected bishop in the year 1600 : in the following 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 evening lecturer in the university of Santiago, elected bishop in 1601, canonized in the convent of Valladolid, and before he came to his church, was promoted to the bishopric of Gaeta, in the kingdom 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 Yucatán, when he became a widower, and giving all he possessed as alms to the poor, he took to a religious 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-