LatAm Digital Edition and Gazetteer

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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

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COLARIA, a settlement of the province and government of Tucumán, in the district of the capital, to the zo. of this province.

COLASTINA, a small river of the province and government of Buenos Ayres. It runs e. and enters the Parana,

COLATE, a small river of the province and alcaldta mayor of Tecoantepec in the kingdom of Guatemala. It runs into the S. sea, between the rivers Azatian and Capanerealte.

COLATPA, a settlement of the head settlement of Olinalá, and alcald'in mayor of TIapa, in Nueva Espana. It contains 29 families of Indians, who employ themselves in the commerce of chia, a v/hite medicinal earth, and cochineal, which abound in their territory : n. w. of its head settlement.

COLAZA, a small and ancient province, extremely fertile and delightful, belonging at the present day to the province of Popayán in the Nuevo Reyno de Granada. It was discovered by Sebastian de Benalcazar in 1536. Its inhabitants, who were a warlike and cruel race, are entirely extirpated.

COLCA, a settlement of the province and corregimiento of Vilcas Huaman in Peru ; annexed to the curacy of Huanacapi.

COLCA, another settlement in the province and corregimiento of Xauja in the same kingdom ; annexed to the curacy of Chongos.

COLCA, another, in the province and corregimiento of Aimaraez in the same kingdom ; annexed to the curacy of Pampamarca.

COLCABAMBA, a settlement of the province and corregimiento of Aimaraez in Peru.

COLCABAMBA, another settlement, in the province and corregimiento of Theanta in the same kingdom.

COLCAHUANCA, a settlementof the province and corregimiento of Huailas in Peru ; annexed to the curacy of Pampas.

COLCAMAR, a settlement of the province and corregimiento of Luya and Chillaos in Peru ; annexed to the curacy of Luya, its capital.

COLCHA, a settlement of the province and corregimiento oi Lipes, and archbishopric of Charcas, in Peru. It was formerly the capital, and preserves in its cluirch an image of the blessed virgin, sent thither by the Emperor Charles V. It is now annexed to the curacy of San Christoval.

COLCHA, another settlement, of the'province and corregimiento of Chilques and Masques in the same kingdom.

COLCHA, another, of the province and corregimiento of Cochabamba in the same kingdom ; annexed to the curacy of Berenguela,

COLCHAGUA, a province and^ corregimiento of the kingdom of Chile ; bounded on the e. by the cordillera Nevada ; s. by the province of Maule, the river Teno serving as the boundary ; and w. by the sea. It is 40 leagues in length from e. to w. and 32 in width from n. to s. Here are some gold mines, and there were several others, the working of which has been discontinued : here are also some copper mines. It abounds in wheat, large and small cattle, horses and mules. In a part called Cauquencs are some hot baths, which arc much frequented, from the salutary affects they produce, especially upon those affected with the French disease, leprosy, spots on the skin, or wounds. The inhabitants of this province amount to 15,000 souls, and its capital is the town of San Fernando.

COLCHAGUA, a settlement of this province and corregimiento, which is the head of a curacy of another, and contains four chapels of ease.

(COLCHESTER, a township in Ulster county. New York, on the Popachton branch of Delaware river, s. w. of Middletown, and about 50 miles s. w. by s. of Cooperstown. By the state census of 1796, 193 of its inhabitants are electors.)

(Colchester, a large township in New London county, Connecticut, seltled in 1701 ; about 15 miles tc. of Norwich, 25 s. e. of Hartford, and 20 n. w. of New London city. It is in contemplation to have a post-office established in this town.)

(Colchester, the chief town in Chittenden county, Vermont, is on the e. bank of lake Champlain, at the mouth of Onion river, and n, of Burlington, on Colchester bay, which spreads n. of the town.)

(Colchester, a post-town in Fairfax county, Virginia ; situate on the n. e. bank of Ocquoquam creek, three or four miles from its confluence with the Potowmack ; and is here about 100 yards wide, and navigable for boats. It contains about 40 houses, and lies 16 miles s. w. of Alexandria, 106 n. by e. of Richmond, and 172 from Philadelphia.)

(Colchester River, Nova Scotia. See CoheQUIT.)

COLCURA, a fortress of the kingdom of Chile, built on the opposite shore of the river Biobio, to restrain the incursions of the warlike Araucanian Indians, who burnt and destroyed it in 1601.

COLD Bay, in the extremity of the n. coast of the island of Jamaica, between the port Antonio and the n. e. point.

(COLD Spring, in the island of Jamaica, is a villa six miles from the high lands of Liguania. The grounds are in a high state of improvement.

of Atengo, and alcald'ia mayor of Chilapa, in Nueva Espana. It contains 27 families of Indians, and is two leagues to the n. of its head settlement.

COMALA, another settlement, in the head settlement of Almololoyan, and alcald'ia mayor of Colima. It contains 67 families of Indians, who exercise themselves in the cultivation of the lands. Two leagues to the n. e.- of its head settlement.

COMALAPA, a .settlement of the province and alcald'ia mayor of Chiapa in the kingdom of Guatemala.

COMALTEPEC, a settlement and head settlements of the mayor of Villalta, of a hot temperature, with 310 families of Indians. Nine leagues between the e. and ??. of its capital.

COMALTEPEC, another, in the alcald'ia mayor of Tecocuilco. It contains 78 families of Indians, who cultivate nothing but cochineal and maize, and these only in as much as is nece.ssary for their sustenance.

COMANJA, a settlement of the head settlement of Tirindaro, and alcald'ia mayor of Valladolid, in the province and bishopric of Mechoacan. It contains 13 families of Indians, and is one league to the s. of its head settlement.

=COMANJA==, another settlement and real of mines in the alcald'ia mayor oi Lagos, of the kingdom and bishopric of Galicia ; the population of which consists of 30 families of Spaniards, Mustees, and Mulattoes, and 50 of Indians, who live by the commerce of and labour in the mines, which, although these inhabitants are little given to industry, produce good emolument. This settlement is at the point of the boundary which divides the settlements of this kingdom from the kingdom of Nueva Espana. Seven leagues e. of its capital.

COMAO, a province of the country of Las Amazonas, to the s. of this river, from the mouth of which it is 40 leagues distant, extending itself along the banks of the same; discovered in 1745 by Francisco de Orellana. The territory is level and fertile, and the climate moist and hot. It abounds in maize, and has some plantations of sugar-cane. It is watered by different rivers, all of which abound in fish, as do also its lakes ; and in these an infinite quantity of tortoises are caught. This province belongs to the Portuguese, and is part of the province of Para.

(COMARGO, a town of New Leon in N. America ; situate on the s. side of Rio Bravo, which empties into tlie gulf of Mexico on the w. side.)

COMARU, or De los Angeles, a settle-

ment of the missions held by the Portuguese in the country of the Amazonas, on the shore of the river Negro.

COMARU, another settlement in the province and captainship of Pará, and kingdom of Brazil ; situate on th.e s. shore of the river of Las Amazonas, on a point or long strip of land formed by the mouth of the river Topayos.

COMAS, a settlement of the province and corregmiienio of Xauxa in Peru.

Comas, a lake of the province and government of Venezuela, of an oval figure, between the river Guarico and the jurisdiction which divides this government from that of Cumana.

COMATLAN, a settlement of the head settlement of Chixila, and alcald'ia mayor of Villalti. It contains 32 families of Indians, and is five leagues to the n. of its capital.

COMATLAN, another settlement, the head settlement of the district of the alcald'ia mayor of Tequepexpa ; of a hot temperature. It contains 20 families of Indians, who live by cultivating the lands. Fifteen leagues to the s. of its capital.

COMAU, a settlement of the province and captainship of Pará in Brazil ; situate at the mouth of the river Las Amazonas, to the n. n. e. of the town of Macapa.

COMAUUINI, a river of the province and government of Guayana, in the Dutch possessions, on the shores and at the mouth of which they have constructed the fort of Amsterdam. It runs n. and afterwards turning to the s. s. e. enters the Cotica.

COMAYAGUA, or Valladolid, a city and capital of the province of Honduras in the kingdom of Guatemala ; founded by the Captain Alonzo de Caceres, by the order of Pedro de Alvarado. It was at first called Nuestra Senora de la Concepcion, and by this title there is still named an hospital which is well endowed and served. Here are also some convents of the religious order of La Merced, and a very good church, erected into a bishopric in 1539. One hundred and ten leagues from the capital Guatemala. Lat. 20° 58' n. Long. 87° 5 P

Bishops who have presided in Comayagua.

1. Don Fray Juan de Talavera, of the order of St. Jerome, prior of his convent of Nuestra Senora del Prado, near Valladolid : being nominated first bishop, he refused the appointment.

2. Don Christoval de Pedraza, elected bishop from the renunciation of the former; at the same time nominated protector of the Indies, and residentiary judge to the conquerors Pedro Alvaredo and Francisco de Montejo, in 1539,

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and government of Neyba in the kingdom of Granada. It rises in the paramo or mountain desert ofQuindiu, traverses and waters the valleys of Las Lanzas, and unites itself witli that of San Juan, taking the name of Coello, from a Spaniard of this name having been drowned in it. It then enters the Magdalena.

COMBEJU, a settlement of the province and captainship of Rey in Brazil ; situate at the source of the river Curitaba.

COMBERUI, Bay of, on the coast of the province o.i\6. captainship of Rey in Brazil. It lies between the bay of Tasay and the island of Gallo.

COMBES, a settlement of the island of Barbadoes, in the district of the parish of St. George.

COMBINCUMA, a spacious, and but little known country of the kingdom of Quito. It is full of woods, in which there are many wild beasts and snakes of various kinds, and it is watered by many rivers, all of which enter the s. side of the Maranon. Amongst the various nations which inhabit it is that of the Tontones.

COMBITA, a settlement of the province and corregirniento oi Tunja in the Nuevo Reyno de Granada. It is of a cold temperature, and produces the fruits corresponding with its climate. It contains 100 house-keepers, and as many other Indians, and is two leagues to the n. zo. of its capital.

COMBLES, Los Cinco, a settlement and parish of the island of St. Christopher, one of the Antilles ; situate on the shore of the n. w. coast, and in the part formerly possessed by the English.

COMBOY, a rocky shoal of the N. sea, to the s. of that of La Vivora.

COMEAPA, a settlement of the province and ulcaldia mayor of Los Zoques in the kingdom of Guatemala.

COMECUERO, a river of the province and government of Honduras in the kingdom of Guatemala. It runs into the gulf which has tlie name of the province.

COMETA, PUNTA DE, a point or cape of the Caico Grande, or Del N. (of the N.) on the n. e. coast.

Cometa, a shoal of rocks, near upon the n. e. coast of the island of Caico Grande, or Del N. and by the former point, from whence it takes its name.

(COMFORT Point is the s. easternmost part of Elizabeth City county in Virginia, formed by James river at its mouth in Chesapeak bay. Point Comfort lies 19 miles w. by n. of cape Henry.] Comfort Point, another point, which is also

of the same coast and province as the former, and within that bay, being one of the points which form the entrance of the river York.

Comfort Point, another, on the s. coast of Hudson’s bay, in the province of this name.

COMICHIGELES, Sierra de, in the province and government of Tucumán, and bounded by the sierra of Cuyo, in the kingdom of Chile. It runs from 5. s. e. on the shore of the Concara, and in fact follows the course of that river.

COMISARIO, Punta del, a long strip of land which runs into the sea on the coast of the province and government of Cartagena, between this city and the point of S. Bernardo.

COMISTAHUACAN, a settlement of the province and alcaldia mayor of Los Zoques in the kingdom ol' Guatemala.

COMITLAN, a settlement of the province and' alcaldia mayor of Chiapa in the kingdom of Guatemala.

COMITLAN, another settlement, in the province and alcaldia mayor of Capanabastla in the same kingdom.

(COMMANOES, one of the Small Virgin isles, in the W. Indies, situate to the n. n. e. of Tortilla.)

COMOCAUTLA, San Pedro de, a settlement of the head settlement of Zapotitlan, and alcaldia mayor of Xacatlan, in Nueva Espana, three leagues distant from its head settlement.

COMO-LEWU, or Rio de los Sauces, called also Gran Desaguadero. See Sauces.

COMONDU, San Joseph de, a settlement of the missions which were held by the regulars of the company of Jesuits in the province of California ; situate near the sea-coast, between the settlements of La Concepcion and San Francisco Xavier.

COMONDU, San Joseph de, a bay of this province, between the bay of Concepcion and the island of Carmen.

COMOPORO, a settlement of the government of Maracaibo in the province of Venezuela; situate on the coast of the lake towards the e. part.

COMORI, Crique de, a creek and establishment of the French, in their possessions in Guayana.

COMORIPA, or Comoriopa, as some will have it, a settlement of the province of Ostimuri in Nueva Espana; situate on the shore of the river Hiaqui, between the settlements of Cocoria and Tecoriona.

COMPOSTELA, a province and alcaldia mayor of Nueva Galicia. Its jurisdiction extends from the mouth of the large river San Pedro, as

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the province and captainship of Marañan, between the rivers Camindes and Paraguay.

Costa-Desierta, a large plain of the Atlantic, between cape S. Antonio to the n. and cape Blanco to the s. It is 80 leagues long, and has on the n. the llanuras ox pampas of Paraguay, on the etJ. the province of Cuyo, of the kingdom of Chile, on the s. the country of the Patagones, and on tlie c. the Atlantic. It is also called the Terras Magellanicas, or Lands of Magellan, and the whole of this coast, as well as the land of the interior territory, is barren, uncultivated, and unknoAvn.

Costa-Rica, a province and government of the kingdom of Guatemala in N. America ; bounded n. and w. by the province ot Nicaragua, e. by that of Veragua of the kingdom of Tierra Firme ; s. w. and n. w. by the S. sea, and n. e. by the N. sea. It is about 90 leagues long e. w. and 60 n. s. Here are some gold and silver mines. It has ports both in the N. and S. seas, and tAVO excellent bays, called San Geronimo and Caribaco. It is for the most part a province that is mountainous and full of rivers ; some of which enter into the N. sea, and others into the S. Its productions are similar to those of the other provinces in the kingdom ; but the cacao produced in some of the llanuras here is of an excellent quality, and held in much estimation. The Spaniards gave it the name of Costa-Rica, from the quantity of gold and silver contained in its mines. From the mine called Tisingal, no less riches have been extracted than from that of Potosi in Peru ; and a tolerable trade is carried on by its productions with the kingdom of Tierra Firme, although the navigation is not alway« practicable. The first monk Avho came hither to preach and inculcate religion amongst the natives, was the Fra_y Pedro de Betanzos, of the order of St. Francis, who came hither in 1550, when he was followed by several others, who founded in various settlements 17 convents of the above order. The capital is Cartago.

Costa-Rica, a river of the province ancT government of Nicaragua in the same kingdom, which runs n. and enters theDesaguadero, or W aste W ater of the Lake.

COSTO, a settlement of the English, in the island of Barbadoes, of the district and parish of Santiago ; situate near the w. coast.

COTA, a settlement of the corregimiento of ipaquira in the Nuevo Reyno de Granada. It is of a very cold temperature, produces the fruits peculiar to its climate, contains upwards of 100 Indians, and some white inhabitants ; and is four leagues from Santa Fe.

Cota, a small river of the province and govern-

ment of Buenos Ayres in Peru. It rises in the sierras, or craggy mountains, of Nicoperas, runs w. and enters the Gil.

COTABAMBAS, a province and corregimiento of Peru ; bounded n. by the province of Abancay, s. w. and s. and even s. e. by that of Chilques and Masques or Paruro, w, by that of Chumbivilcas, and n. w. by that of Aimaraez. It is 25 leagues long e.w. and 23 wide n.s. It is for the most part of a cold temperature, as are the other provinces of the sierra; it being nearly covered Avith mountains, the tops of which are the greatest part of the year clad Avith snoAV. In the Ioav lands are many pastures, in Avhich they breed numerous herds of cattle, such as cows, horses, mules, and some small cattle. Wheat, although in no great abundance, maize, pulse, and potatoes, also groAv here. In the broken, uneven hollows, near which passes the river Apurimac, and which, after passing through the province, runs into that of Abancay, groAV plantains, figs, water melons, and other productions peculiar to the coast. Here are abundance of magueges', which is a plant, the leaves or tendrils of which, much resemble those of the savin, but being somewhat larger ; from them are made a species of hemp for the fabricating of cords, called cahuyas, and some thick ropes used in the construction of bridges across the rivers. The principal rivers are the Oropesa and the Chalhuahuacho, Avhich have bridges for the sake of communication Avith the other provinces. Tlie bridge of Apurimac is three, and that of Chuructay 86 yards across ; that of Churuc, Avhich is the most frequented, is 94 yards ; and there is another which is much smaller : all of them being built of cords, except one, called Ue Arihuanca, on the river Oropesa, which is of stone and mortar, and has been here since the time that the ferry-boat was sunk, Avith 15 men and a quantity of Spanish goods, in 1620. Although it is remembered that gold and silver mines have been worked in this province, none are at present ; notAvithstanding that in its mountains are manifest appearances of this metal, as well as of copper, and that in a part of the river Ocabamba, Avhere the stream runs witli great rapidity, are found lumps^ of silver, which are washed off from the neighbouring mountains. The inhabitants of the whole of the province amount to 10,000, who are contained in the 25 following settlements ; and the capital is Tambobamba.

Cotabambas,

Totora,

Cullurqui,

Huaillati,

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Palpakachi,

Llikehavilea,

Corpahuasi,

Pituhuanca.