ENPages That Mention Nuevo Reyno
The geographical and historical dictionary of America and the West Indies [volume 1]
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lar way by a river of its name. It abounds in large alligators and mosquitoes, which render its navigation very troublesome. Its shores are covered with beautiful trees, which are inhabited by a variety of birds and apes of several species, which make an incredible chattering and noise. It was by this river that the pirate John Morgan came when he took and sacked Panama in 1670. It was discovered by Hernando de la Serma in 1527, when he called it the river of Lagartos, but its mouth was before discovered by Lope de Olano in 1510. Here are found, at certain seasons, a very small fish of the size of a pin, called titles, and these are so abundant, that putting into the water a large basket, it is certain to be drawn out full ; they are fried, and make very savoury fritters.
CHAGRE, with the dedicatory title of San Lorenzo, a settlement of the same province and kingdom ; situate upon the top of a mountain at the entrance or mouth of the former river. It has for its defence a strong castle, which was built by the order of Philip 11. by the famous engineer J uan Bautista Antoneli. This was taken by the pirate John Morgan, after having made a glorious defence, in 1668, when the settlement was burnt and sacked ; and in 1740 it was taken by the English, commanded by Admiral Vernon, who entirely destroyed it ; its loss in that war being supplied by two strong batteries, which hindered the English from making a breach, for the third time, when they came with three frigates of war : but they were driven back by Captain Don Juan de Hermida, who was formerly captain of the regiment of Granada. In 1752 this castle was rebuilt, in the most perfect manner, by the lieutenant-general and engineer Don Ignatio de Sala, governor of Cartagena, who came hither for this purpose by order of the king. In this fortress several personages of distinction' have been held prisoners, ami amongst others the Marquis of La Mina, ])resiilent, governor, and captain-general of the kingiUmi in 1694. Is 13 leagues from Portobelo.
CHAGUANES, an island of the river Orinoco, formed at its entrance into the sea by various canals or arms, is large and inhabited by Indians of the Mariussa nation.
CHAGUARAMA, a settlement of the province and government of Venezuela, situate on the confines of the province of Cumana, near the river Manapire.
CHAGUARAMA, a bay on the coast of the province of Cumaná, on the n. e. side ; being formed by the island of Trinidad, and by the mouths of
the channels of the Orinoco as far as the gulf Triste.
CHAGUAREM, a small river of the province and government of Venezuela, which runs s. and enters that of Los Aceytes.
CHAHUALTEPEQUE, Santiago de, a settlement of the district and alcaldía mayor of Mexilcaltzingo in Nueva España. It contains 138 families of Indians, and is three leagues from its capital.
CHAHUANTLA, a small settlement or ward of the alcaldía mayor of Guauchinango in Nueva España ; annexed to the curacy of Naupan.
CHAIALA, a settlement of the province and corregimiento of Chayanta or Charcas in Peru ; annexed to the curacy of Pocoata.
CHAILLON, Cabo de, a cape on the e. coast of lake Superior, in New France.
CHAINAR, a settlement of the province and government of Tucumán ; situate on the shore of the river San Miguel.
CHAIPI, a settlement of the province and corregimiento of Parinacochas in Peru, annexed to the curacy of the corregimiento of Pullo ; in which was venerated, ever since the time of the conquest, a beautiful image of the Virgen del Rosario, which, with the temple, was burnt a few years since, and the parishioners being much afflicted at their loss, the Marquis of Selva Alegre, president of Quito, sent them another equal to the first : at the celebration of the festival people assemble from all the neighbouring districts.
CHAIUIN, a river of the province and government of Valdivia in the kingdom of Chile, which runs s. e. and enters Valdivia near its entrance into the sea.
CHALA, a settlement of the province and corregimiento of Cumaná in Peru.
Chala, with the distinction of Alta, another settlement of the province and corregimiento of Saña in the same kingdom , situate on the shore of the river Chicama.
CHALA, another, with the addition of Baxa, in the same kingdom and province; situate near the former.
CHALA, a large and beautiful valley on the sea shore, in the province and corregimiento of Cumaná.
CHALA, a small port, frequented only by fishermen, in the same province and corregimiento.
CHALACOS, a settlement and asiento of the silver mines of the province and corregimiento of Piura in Peru ; annexed to the curacy of Huancabamba.
==CHALALA, a large river of the Nuevo Reyno
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as to render it impracticable to cross them. In the road they usually take lies the steep declivity of San Antonio, extremely difficult to be passed. The mules however are so well versed in the manner of letting themselves slide down it, that there has never been an instance of these animals falling. The 'vegetable productions of this province are confined to bark, and from this no emolument is derived, although it was discovered, after much search and solicitude, by the Lieutenant-colonel Don Miguel de Santistevan. It accordinglj'- provides itself with all that it may require in this way from the adjoining provinces of Riobamba and Tacunga. It is of a very cold temperature, from its being so near to the mountainous desert of Chimborazo. Its natives amount to 2000 souls, the greater part of them being Mustees, and the ■whole are divided into seven settlements, of which the capital bears the same name ; and although this was formerly the residence of the corregidor, yet has it of late been deserted for the settlement of Guaranda. The seven settlements are,
San Lorenzo, Guaranda,
Asancoto, Guanujo,
Chapacoto, Tomabelas.
San Miguel,
CHIMBORAZO, a very lofty mountain or desert of the cordillera of the province and corregimiento of Riobamba, in the kingdom of Quito; which, in the language of the country, signifies mountain of the other side. It is covered with everlasting snow, and is the loftiest mountain in the known world, since its height, taken by the academicians of the sciences of Paris, is 3220 toises from the level of the sea to its top, which terminates in a cone or truncated pyramid. Its sides are covered with a kind of white sand or calcined earth with loose stones, and a certain herb called pajon, which affords pasture for the cattle of the neighbouring estates. The warm streams flowing from its n. side should seem toAvarrantthe idea that within it is a volcano. From its top flow down many rivers, which take different winding courses; thus the Guaranda runs 5. the Guano s. e. and the Machala e. On its skirt lies the road which" leads from Quito to Guayaquil ; and in order to pass it in safety, it is requisite to be more cautious in choosing the proper season than were the Spanish conquerors of this province, who were here frozen to death. North of the town of Riobamba, in lat. 1° 21' 18" s. according to the observations of M. La Condamine. fThis mountain was visited, on the 23d of June 1797, by Humboldt; who with his party reached its €. slope on that day, and planted their instru-
ments on a narrow ledge of porphyritie rock Avhich projected from the vast field of unfathomcd snow. A chasm, 500 feet wide, prevented their further ascent. The air was reduced to half its usual density, and felt intensely cold and piercing. Respiration was laborious and blood oozed from their eyes, their lips and their gums. They stood on the highest spot ever trod by man. Its height, ascertained from barometrical observation, was 3485 feet greater than the elevation attained in 1745 by Condamine, and 19,300 feet above the level of the sea. From that extreme station, the top of Chimborazo was found, by trigonometrical measurement, to be 2140 feet still higher.
CHIMBOTE, a small pointed island of the S. sea, on the coast of Peru, and province and corregimiento of Santa. It lies close to another called Corcobado.
CHIMBUZA, a large lake of the province and government of Barbacoas, of the kingdom of Quito, to the s. w. of the river Patia, formed by a narrow canal, through ■which the Avater of this river enters, and so forms the same lake into a sheet of water of an oblong figure, two leagues in length, and half a league in breadth. This lake has another narrow canal, through which the water issues, and re-unites itself with the same river.
CHIMENE, a port of the e. coast of the island of San Juan in Nova Scotia.
CHIMICA, a small province of the government of Santa Marta in the Nuevo Reyno de Granada. It is almost as it were desert and abandoned, notwithstanding that it produces a good quantity of maize. The climate is hot and unhealthy ; and although it was formerly peopled by the Chimicas Indians, none of these are now found to reside here.
CHIMILAS, a barbarous nation of Indians of the Nuevo Reyno de Granada, in the province of Santa Marta. They inhabit the Avoods to the e. of the large river Magdalena, go naked, and have no fixed abodes. They are cruel and treacherous, and are bounded by the nation of the Guaxiros.
CHIMIRAL, a river of the province and corregimiento of Copiapo in the kingdom of Chile. It rises in the SnoAvy sierra, runs w. and enters the sea in the point of its name. It in many parts runs in so inconsiderable a stream as frequently to be in all appearance lost before it enters the sea.
CHIMIRAL ALTO, a settlement of this province and kingdom ; situate on the shore of the former river.