LatAm Digital Edition and Gazetteer

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certain seasons of tlie year it is so filled with fish, for seven leagues from its mouth, that the Indians are accustomed to harpoon them from the shores.

Cauten, a point of land, or cape, which is one of those which form the entrance of the former river.

CAUTO, a settlement of the s. coast of the island of Cuba; situate on the shore of a river which bears the same name.

CAUX, Montanas de, mountains in the province and government of French Guinea, which run along the shore of a river of the same name, between the rivers Orapu and Aprovaque.

(CAVALLO, as some erroneously spell it, a sea-port town in the province of Venezuela, in Tierra Firme. Lat. 10'’ 28'. Long. G8° 8'. See Cabello Pderto and Cavello Puerto.)

(CAVAILLON, a town on the s. side of the s. peninsula of the island of St. Domingo, about three leagues n. e. of Les Cayes, and five w. by s. of St. Louis. Lat. 18° 18' w.)

(CAVELLO, Puerto, Borburata. One league e. of Puerto Cavello, was originally the only resort of vessels trading to this part of Venezuela. Puerto Cavello was merely frequented by smugglers, fishermen, and the outcasts of the interior. The old town is surrounded by tlic sea, excepting a space of a few fathoms to tlie w. ; through which they have now cut a canal communicating to the sea on the n. of the town to that on the s. ; thus forming an island, the egress being by a bridge with a gate which is shut every evening, and at which is placed the principal guard. This island being too small for the increasing population, houses were built on a tongue of land to the w. of the town, which was the only part free from inundation ; and this has now become the residence of the merchants, and the principal place. The total population of Puerto Cavello is 7600, of which, excepting the military and the officers of government, none are of the nobility. The whites are generally employed in trade and navigation ; the chief correspondence being with the ports of the continent or the neighbouring colonies ; for, although the port has been open from 1798 to the trade of the metropolis, there is as yet but. little communication with it. Of about 60 vessels trading to this place, 20 at least are from Jamaica, and 20 from Cura 9 oa, whilst only four or five are from Spain. According to the custom-house books, the cargoes of these veesels are of little value ; but the revenue is defrauded, and the vessels discharge their lading on the coast before entering the port. This place supplies all the w. part of Venezuela,

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and the jurisdiction of Valencia, San Carlos, Bariquisimeto, San Felipe, and a part of the valleys of Aragoa. About 20 Europeans engross the w hole trade. All vessels trading to the neighbourhood resort here for repairs, and nothing but the unwholsoraeness of the air prevents Puerto Cavello becoming the most important port in America. This insalubrity arises from the exhalations from the rain water that accumulates in a clayey marsh to the s. of the city. It is particularly fatal to those who are not seasoned to the climate. In 1793 a Spanish squadron anchored at Puerto Cavello ; but in six months of its stay, it lost one-third of the crew; and in 1802 a French squadron in 20 days lost 16 i officers and men. It has been computed that 20,000 piastres fortes would be sufficient to drain this tatal marsh. The inhabitants are supplied by conduits with water from a river that runs into the sea one- fourth of a league w. of the town. A military commander is also at the head of the police, and is likewise the administrator of justice, his decisions being subject to an appeal to the royal audience. The people have demanded the establishment of a cahildo, but without success. They obtained in 1800 a single alcalde y who is appointed annually ; but great inconveniences have been found to arise from this arrangement.

There is no convent, and but one church, in Puerto Cavello. The foundation of another church was begun, but for want of funds it has not beeh completed. There is a military hospital, and another for the poor. The garrison consists of a company of the regiment of Caracas in time of peace ; but daring war it is reinforced from the militia and troops of the line. 'I'hcre arc from 300 to 400 galley-slaves always employed onthepiiblic works.

Puerto Cavello is 30 leagues from Caracas, in embarking for La Guaira, and 48 leagues in the direction of Valencia, Maracay, Tulraero, La Victoria, atid San Pedro. Reaumur’s thermometer is generally in August at 26°, and in January from 18° to 19°. Lat. 10° 20' «. Long. 70* 30' w. of Paris. See Puerto Cabello.)

(CAVENDISH, a township in Windsor county, Vermont, w. of Wcathersfield, on Black river, having 491 inhabitants. Upon this river, and within this township, the channel has been worn down 100 feet, and rocks of very large dimensions have been undermined and thrown down one upon another. Holes are wrought in the rocks of various dimensions and forms ; some cylindrical, from one to eight feet in diameter, and from one to 15 feet in depth ; others are of a spherical form.

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raense advantage to the neighbouring states, particularly to Virginia. Of that state it has been observed, with some little exaggeration, however, that “ every planter has a river at his door.”)

(CHESHIRE county, in New Hampshire, lies in the s. w. part of the state, on the e. bank of Connecticut river. It has the state of Massachusetts on the s. Grafton county on the n. and Hillsborough county e. It lias 34 townships, of which Charlestown and Keene are the chief, and 28,772 inhabitants, including 16 slaves.)

(Cheshire, a township in Berkshire county, Massachusetts ; famous for its good cheese ; 140 miles fi. w. from Boston.)

(Cheshire, a township in New-Haven county, Connecticut, 15 miles n. of New-Haven city, and 26 s.to. of Hartford. It contains an Episcopal church and academy, and three Conffreffational churches.)

(CHESNUT HILL, a township in Northampton county, Pennsylvania.)

(Chesnut Creek, a branch of the Great Kanhaway, in Virginia, where it crosses the Carolina line. Here, it is said, are iron mines.)

(Chesnut Ridge. Part of the Alleghany mountains, in Pennsylvania, are thus called, s. e. of Greensborough.)

CHESSOT, a town of the province and colony of North Carolina ; situate on the shore of the river Euphasee.

(CHESTER, a township in Lunenburg county, Nova Scotia, on Mali one bay, settled originally by a few families from New England. From hence to Windsor is a road, the distance of 25 miles.)

(Chester, a small plantation in Lincoln county, Maine, nine miles from Titcomb. It has eight or nine families.)

(Chester, a township in Hampshire county, Massachusetts, adjoining Westfield on the e. and about 20 miles n. w. of Springfield. It contains 177 houses, and 1119 inhabitants.)

(Chester, a large, pleasant, and elegant township in Rockingham county. New Hampshire. It is 21 miles in length ; and on the w. side is a pretty large lake, which sends its waters to Merrimack river. It was incorporated in 1722, and contains 1902 inhabitants, who are chiefly farmers. It is situated on the e. side of Merrimack river, 14 miles n. w. of Haverhill, as far w. of Exeter, 35 tflTby s. of Portsmouth, six n. of Londonderry, and 306 from Philadelphia. From the compact part of this town there is a gentle descent to the sea, which, in a clear day, may be seen from thence. It is a post-town, and contains about 60

houses and a Congregational church. Rattlesnake hill, in this township, is a great curiosity; it is half a mile in diameter, of a circular form, and 400 feet high. On the side, 10 yards from its base, is the entrance of a cave, called the Devil’s Den, which is a room 15 or 20 feet square, and four feet high, floored and circled by a regular rock, from the upper part of which are dependent many excrescences, nearly in the form and size of a pear, which, when approached by a torch, throw out a sparkling lustre of almost every hue; It is a cold, dreary place, of which many frightful stories are told by those who delight in the marvellous.)

(Chester, a township in Windsor county, Vermont, w. of Springfield, and II miles w. by s. of Charlestown, in New Hampshire, and contains 981 inhabitants.)

(Chester, a borough and post-town in Pennsylvania, and the capital of Delaware county; pleasantly situated on the w. side of Delaware river, near Marcus hook, and 13 miles n. e. of Wilmington. It contains about 60 houses, built on a regular plan, a court-house, and a gaol. From Cliester to Philadelphia is 20 miles by water, and 15 n. e. by land ; here the river is narrowed by islands of marsh, which are generally banked, and turned into rich and immensely valuable meadows. The first colonial assembly was convened here, the 4th of December 1682. The place affords genteel inns and good entertainment, and is the resort of much company from the metropolis duringthe summer season. It was incorporated in December 1795, and is governed by two burgesses, a constable, a town-clerk, and three assistants ; whose power is limited to preserve the peace and order of the place.)

(Chester County, in Pennsylvania, w. of Delaware county, and s. w. of Philadelphia ; about 45 miles in length, and 30 in breadth. It contains 33 townships, of which West Chester is the shire town, and 27,937 inhabitants, of whom 145 are slaves. Iron ore is found in the n. parts, which employs six forges : these manufacture 'about 1000 tons of bar-iron annually.)

(Chester Court-House, in South Carolina, 22 miles s. of Pinckney court-house, and 58 n. w. of Columbia. A post-office is kept here.)

(Chester River, a navigable water of the e. side of Maryland, which rises two miles within the line of Delaware state, by two sources, Cyprus and Andover creeks, which unite at Bridgetown ; runs nearly s. w. ; after passing Chester it runs s. nearly three miles, when it receives South-Eastern creek ; and 15 miles farther, in a s. w. direction, it