LatAm Digital Edition and Gazetteer

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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.

Same name, a point of the coast ef the same kingdom.

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los Llanos. Its inhabitants amount to about 200, besides 100 Indians.

CHIPATA, a settlement of the corregimiento of the jurisdiction of Velez in the Nuevo Reyno de Granada. It is of an hot temperature, and it is healthy, though by no means abounding in the productions peculiar to its climate. Its inhabitants are very few, and the number of Indians is 50. It was one of the first settlements entered by the Spaniards, and where the first mass ever celebrated in that part of the world was said by the Friar Domingo de las Casas, of the order of St. Domingo ; and is situate very close to the city of Velez.

[CHIPAWAS. See Chepawas.]

CHIPAYA, a settlement of the province and corregimiento of Carangas in Peru, and of the archbisnoprhe of Charcas ; annexed to the curacy of Huachacalla.

CHIPEOS, a barbarous nation of Indians, of the country of Las Amazonas, who inhabit the forests near the river Ucayala. Very little is known of their customs.

[CHIPPAWYAN Fort, in N. America, from whence M‘Kenzie embarked, on the lake of the Hills, when he made his way as far as the N. sea, in 1789.1

[CUJPPEWAY River runs s. w. into Mississippi river, in that part where the confluent waters form lake Pepin.]

CHIPURANA, a river of the province and government of Mainas. It rises in the mountains which are to the s. of Yurimaguas ; runs in a serpentine course from s. to n. and enters the Guallaga on the e. side, in lat. 7° 8' s.

CHIQUALOQUE, a settlement of the head settlement of the district and alcaldia mayor of Popantla in Nueva Espana; inhabited by 12 families of Indians, and lying 12 leagues to the n. w. of its capital.

CHIQUIAN, a settlement of the province and corregimiento of Caxatambo in Peru.

CHIQUIGUANITAS, a barbarous nation of Indians in former times, but now reduced to the Catholic religion. It is in Perú, to the s. of Lima, in the province of Condesuyos de Arequipa.

CHIQUILIGASTA, a settlement of the province and government of Tucaman, in the district of its capital ; situate to the s. e. of the same.

CHIQUILIXPAN, a settlement of the head settlement and alcaldia mayor of Zayula in Nueva Espana. It contains 50 families of Indians, and in the mountains in its vicinity are some mines of copper, which have been worked at different times ; but not having produced a benefit proportionate with the expences incurred, they have been abandoned. It is, 15 leagues n. w. of its head settlement.

CHIQUILLANIANS. Sec Index to new matter concerning Chile, chap. IV.

CHIQUIMULA Y SACAPA, a province and alcaldia mayor of the kingdom of Guatemala.

CHIQUINQUIRA, a settlement of the corregimiento of Tunja in the Nuevo Reyno de Granada. It is of a cold temperature, but is healthy ; its situation is delightful, and it abounds in productions. It is watered by a river which runs through the centre of it, the waters of which are unwholesome : at a small distance another river passes through a plain ; this is called Balsa, or Raft, since, before the bridge was thrown across it, it was passed by rafts. It rises from the lake Fuguene, and abounds in most exquisite fish. The settlement, which was formerly but small, is now of great note, and its inhabitants are about 500, besides 70 Indians. It has a good convent of the religious order of S. Domingo, and is noted for the sanctuary of the virgin of its title. Under the large altar, at which is placed this image, there is a small fountain of water, renowned for the curing of infirmities, as is also the earth which is extracted from thence; it being by no means the least part of the prodigy, that although this earth has been constantly taken out for upwards of 200 years, the excavation formed thereby is comparatively exceedingly small. The faith in, and devotion towards this image, are throughout the kingdom very great, and not lesa so with regard to strangers, who visit it in great numbers from far distant provinces. This settlement is nine leagues from Tunja, and 15 to the n. zeJ. of Santa Fe.

CHIQUITI, a river of the province and government of Esmeraldas in the kingdom of Quito. It runs from s. w. to n. e. between the rivers Vichi and Cuche, and enters on the s. side into the river of Las Esrneraldas.

CHIQUITOI, a settlement of the province and corregimiento of Truxillo in Peru. It is at present destroyed, and the few surviving inhabitants afterwards collected together at the settlement of Santiago de Cao, and it then became merely a small estate or hamlet, preserving its original name, and being inhabited by a few Indians.

CHIQUITOS, a numerous and warlike nation of Indians of Perú, whose country or territory extends from lat. 16° to 20° s. It is bounded w. by the province and government of Santa Cruz de la Sierra ; on the e". it extends itself for upwards of 140 leagues as far as the lake of Los Xarayes ; on the n, as far as the mountains of the Tapacures, the which divide this country from that of Moxos ;

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dried flesh, hung up to preserve them from corruption. Their garments are a shirt without sleeves, reaching down to the middle of their legs. The married people wear drawers of baize with coloured puckers for festival days, and those who enjoy offices of state wear a baize jacket : they neither use hatnorshoes, and no one of them ever goes out without slinging round his neck some medals and a rosary. The hair is worn short until they marry, and when they become old they suffer it to grow long. The women wear close gowns which reach down to the ground, and which they call tapoyes: they never swathe or bind themselves round the waist, but carry on their necks, on gala-days, some threads strung with glass intermixed with beads made of cacao nuts, and coloured beans ; these threads usually amount to 20 or SO rows ; on entering the church they always loosen their hair. The regulars of the company of the Jesuits taught them offices, in which they assisted most dexterously ; and it really excites admiration that Indians, acquainted only with their own barbarian dialect, should be able to manage the compass of the notes, understand their proportions and numbers, and apply the rules of music to its execution. At certain times of the year they go a mdear, or to hunt for honey among the woods : from thence they bring back wax of two sorts, one which is white and odoriferous, Jhe other of less substance, as the wax of Europe, manufactured by a species of bees without stings, called opernus; also another kind of wax, made by a still different sort of bees, but which are all properly denominated wild wax. This wax is delivered to the curate, who preserves it in his house to send to the provinces of Peru ; and from the product of this article, and from that of the cotton, which is made into woofs, to the amount of two pounds weight yearly by each Indian, he procures in 3xchange whatever is necessary for the settlement, such as baizes, coloured wools, bags, iron and steel articles, chopping knives, wedges, hatchets, scissars, pocket-knives, needles, medals, bugles, and other articles of hardware and little necessaries, which, being stored up by him, is distributed amongst the natives according to their necessities, and in a manner that they may want for nothing, but live happy and contented. The settlements are as follows :

San Xavier, San Joseph,

La Concepcion, Santiago,

San Miguel, San Juan,

San Ignacio, El Santo,

Santa Ana, Corazon.

San Rafael,

CHIQUIZA, a settlement of the corregimiento of Sachica in the Nuevo Reyno de Granada. It is of a cold temperature, and produces wheat, maize, barley, papaSy and the other fruits peculiar to its climate. Its ijihabitants are so few as scarcely to amount to 30 housekeepers, and about the same number of Indians. Four leagues to the n. w. of Tunja, and somewhat less from Velez.

CHIRA, a settlement and seat of the silver mines of the province and corregimiento of Piura in Peru ; annexed to the curacy of Paita.

Same name, another settlement of the province and alcaldia mayor of Nicoya in the kingdomof Guatemala.

[CHIRAGOW. See Plein River.]

CHIRAMBIRA, an island situate in the large bay of St. Juan, on the coast of the province and government of Choco in the S. sea, which gives its name to a small creek formed by this island and the continent.

CHIRCA, a settlement of the province and corregimiento of Sicasica in Peru ; annexed to the curacy of Chulumani.

CHIRE, Santa Rosa de a city of the government and province of Los Llanos in the Nuevo Reyno de Granada ; founded by the Governor Francisco Anciso. It is of a very hot and unhealthy temperature, but affords the same vegetable productions as the rest of the province. It is so mean and reduced as to contain hardly 100 housekeepers, and scarcely deserves the name of a city. This settlement lies the furthest to the n. w. extremity of any in this kingdom, and is bounded in that quarter by the province and bishopric of Caracas.

Same name a river of the above province and government. It rises at the foot of the lomas del Viento, runs e. and enters the Meta, traversing the country of the Betoyes Indians.

CHIRGUA, a river of the province and government of Venezuela. It rises in the mountain of Tacazuruma on the s. runs s. and enters the Gamalotal, after having collected the waters of many other rivers.

CHIRIBIQUI, Santa Fe de a settlement of the province and government of Cumana in the kingdom of Tierra Firme ; situate on the coast, between the rivers Mosina and Marecapana.

CHIRICOAS, a barbarous nation of Indians of the Nuevo Reyno de Granada, to the e. of the mountains of Bogota, and at the entrance of the llanos or plains of Cazanare and Meta. They lead a wandering life through the woods in company with the Guaibas ; they are crafty and very dexterous thieves, but of a docile and pacific disposition. In 16.64; some of them were reduced into

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a settlement founded seven leag'ues from the place called the Puerto, but in 16GS they tied, all of them, to the mountains, although in the same year they returned back again to the settlement.

CHIRIGUANA, a large settlement of the province and government of Santa Marta in the Nuevo Reyno de Granada. It is of an hot temperature, and the territory is level, fertile, and beautiful. It has besides the parish church a convent or house of entertainment of the religious order of St. Francis.

CHIRIGUANOS, a country and nation of the infidel Indians of the province and government of Santa Cruz de la Sierra in Peru, from whence it lies 20 leagues to thes. It is bounded on the e. by the province of Tomina, and s. e. by that of Chuquisaca ; is composed of different settlements, each governed by its captain or cazique, subject, in a certain degree, to the above government. These people, though they refuse to adopt the Catholic religion, are in perfect amity with the Spaniards, trading with them in wax, cotton, and maize. This nation, by the incursions which tliey made, used at first to give frequent alarm to the province, and once had the address to capture the city of Chiquisaca. The Inca Yupanqui endeavoured in vain to subdue them, and neither he nor the Spaniards could avail aught with them ■until they were reduced by the missionaries, the regulars of the extinguished company of the Jesuits ; since that time they have been stedfast in supporting the Spaniards against the other infidels, serving them as a barrier, and having for their own line of defence the river Guapay. They are very valorous, but inconstant and faithless ; they are descended from the nations which are found to the e. of Paraguay ; and fled from thence, to the number of 4000, ^hen avoiding the threatened chastisement of the Portuguese, who were about to inflict condign punishment on them for having treacherously murdered the Captain Alexo Garcia in the time of the King Don Juan 111. of Portugal. They were foi'merly cannibals, and used to fatten their prisoners that these might become better fare ; but their intercourse and trade with the Spaniards has caused them by degrees to forget this barbarous practice, and even to give them a disgust at their savage neighbours, who still continue in the same practices. They are at the present day so greatly increased in numbers, that they are one of the most numerous nations of America ; are besides very neat and clean ; and it is not uncommon for them to rush out of their dwellings in the middle of the night to plunge and wash themselves in a river in the most severe seasons ; their wives too.

immediately after parturition, invariably do the same, and on their return lay themselves on a heap of sand, which they have for this purpose in the house; but the husband immediately takes to his bed, and being covered all over with very large leaves, refuses to take any other nourishment than a little broth made of maize ; it being an incorrigible error of belief amongst them that these ceremonies will be the cause of making their children bold and warlike. They have shewn great power and address in their combats with our troops when these first endeavoured to enter their territories, and they threw themselves in such an agile and undaunted manner upon our fire-arms that it was found necessary, on our part, to insert in the rants a lance-man between every two fusileers : the v are, moreover, so extremely nimble that it is impossible to take them prisoners but by surprise.

CHIRIMICHATE, a river of the province and government of Venezuela. It rises in the sierra opposite the point of Hicacos, and enters the sea in this point.

CHIRINOS, a settlement of the province and corregimiento of Jaen de Bracamoros in the kingdom of Quito.

CHIRIQUI, a district of the province and government of Santiago de Veragua in the kingdom of Tierra Firme, the last district of this province ; dividing the government from that of Guatemala, and touching upon the province of Costarica. It is of limited extent ; the country is mountainous, and its climate hot and unhealthy, surrounded on all sides by infidel Indians. Here are bred numbers of mules, which are carried to be sold at Panama and Guatemala ; upon the coast of the S. sea are found crabs which distil a purple colour used for dyeing cotton, which, although it may fade a little, can never be entirely eradicated. They have plenty of swine, and some vegetable productions ; with which they carry on a trade, now fallen much to decay, with the city of Panama. The capital is Santiago de Alanje.

Same name, a river of the above province (Santiago de Veragua), which rises in the mountains on the s. and enters the sea, serving as limits to that province, and dividing it from that of Costarica in the kingdom of Guatemala.

CHIRIS, a settlement of the province and corregimiento of Castro Vireyna in Peru; annexed to the curacy of Huachos.

CHIRISU, a settlement of the province and corregimieto of Tunja in the Nuevo Reyno de Granada. It is of a rather cold temperature, and abounds in wheat, maize, barley, a/berjas, and S M 2

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the Catholic faith, and are reduced to settlements, though the number of these is very small.

CHITEPEC, a settlement of the head settlement of the district and alcaldia mayor of Tlapa in Nueva Espaiia. It is of a cold temperature, and contains 39 families of Indians, who live by sowing maize, the only vegetable production of their territory. Five leagues w. n. w. of its capital.

CHITO, a settlement of the province and corregimiento of Jaen de Bracamoros in the kingdom of Quito, upon the s. shore of the river Sangalla, and in the royal road of Loxa, which leads to Tomependa. In its vicinity are some gold mines, but which are not worked ; its temperature is hot and moist, and consequently unhealthy.

[CHITTENDEN County, in Vermont, lies on lake Champlain, between Franklin county on the w. and Addison s. ; La Moille river passes through its n. w. corner, and Onion river divides it nearly in the centre.' Its chief town is Burlington. This county contained, by the census of 1791, 44 townships and 7301 inhabitants. Since that time the n. counties have been taken from it, so that neither its size or number of inhabitants can now be ascertained.]

[Chittenden, a township in Rutland county, Vermont, contains 159 inhabitants. The road over the mountain passes through this township. It lies seven miles e. from the fort on Otter creek, in Pittsford, and about 60 n. by e. from Bennington.]

[CHITTENENGO, or Canaserage, a considerable stream which runs n. into lake Oneida, in the state of New York.]

CHIUAO, a small river of the province and colony of Surinam, or the part of Guayana possessed by the Dutch . It rises in the mountain of Sincomay, runs n. and turning w. enters another river which is without a name, and where several others unite to enter the Cuyuni on the s. side.

CHIUATA, a river of the province and government of Cumana in the kingdom of Tierra Firme. It rises from some plains in this territory, runs s. collecting the waters of several other rivers, particularly that of the Suata, and then enters the sea, just as it becomes navigable.

Same name, another river of the same province and government (Cumana), which rises at the foot of the serramas of Paraguay, to the w. of the town of San Fernando, runs s. and enters the Orinoco.

CHIUCHA, S. Juan de, a settlement of the province and corregimiento of Lipes, and archbishopric of Charcas, in Peru ; annexed to the curacy of San Christoval.

CHIUCHIN, a settlement of the province and corregimienlo of Chancay in Peru ; annexed to the curacy of Canchas. In its district there is a mineral hot-water spring, much renowned for the curing of various kinds of maladies.

CHIUCHIU, a settlement of the province and government of Atacama, and archbishopric of Charcas, in Peru.

CHIUGOTOS, a barbarous nation of Indians of the province and government of Venezuela, bordering upon the settlement of Maracapana. They are very few, and live retired in the mountains ; they are cruel even to cannibalism.

CHIUICOS, a settlement of the province and corregimiento of Buenos Aires ; situate to the s. of its capital.

CHIXILA, a settlement and head settlement of the district of the alcaldia mayor of Villalta in Nueva Espana. It is of an hot temperature, contains 134 families of Indians, and lies 12 leagues to the n. of its capital.

CHOCAIA, Nueva, a settlement of the province of Chichas and Tarija in Peru ; of the district of the former, and annexed to the curacy of Tatasi.

CHOCAMAN, a settlement of the head settlement of the district of Zacan, and alcaldia mayor of Cordoba, in Nueva Espana. It is of a cold and moist temperature, contains 103 families of Indians, and is five leagues to the n, n. w. of the capital.

CHOCAN, a settlement of the province and corregimiento of Piura in Peru ; annexed to the curacy of Aabaca.

CHOCAYAS, a mountain of the province and corregimiento of Chichas and Tarija in Peru, and jurisdiction of Chuquisaca. It is celebrated for its rich gold mines.

CHOCO, a large province and government of the jurisdiction of Popayan ; by the territory of which it is bounded e. and s. e . ; on the w. by the Pacific or S. sea; n. by the barbarous nations of Indians, and by the province of Darien ; and s. by that of Barbacoas. The whole of this province abounds in woods and mountains, and is crossed by a chain of the Andes, which run as far as the isthmus of Panama. It is watered by several rivers and streams, all of which run w. and enter the S. sea. The districts of Citara and Raposo form a part of this province ; very few of their ancient inhabitants remain at the present day ; the greater part of them having perished in the war of the