Pages That Mention Couican
The geographical and historical dictionary of America and the West Indies [volume 1]
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into tlie Banos, and which, after the great cascade, is known by the name of Pastaza. To the n. rises the Padregal, afterwards called Pita, as it passes through the llanura of Chillo ; and at the skirt of the mountain of Guangopolo, where the plain terminates, it unites itself with the Amag^uaiia, and then turning w. takes the names of Tumbaco and Huallabamba, to enter the Esmeraldas, which disembogues itself into the S. sea. At the skirt of this great mountain are the estates of Sinipu, Pongo, Pucaguaita, and Papaurca, It is distant from the settlement of Mula-halo half a league, and five leagues from its capital. In lat. 40° IPs. (The height of this volcano was discovered, in 1802, to be only 260 feet lower than the crater of Antisana, which is 19,130 feet above the level of the sea.)
COTOPASSA, a river of the province of Canela in the kingdom of Quito, towards the s. e. It runs s. e. and enters the n. side of the river Pastaza, which, from that point, begins to be navigable.
COTOPAXI. See Cotopacsi.
COTUA, a settlement of the province and government of Cumaná ; situate on the shore of a river near the coast of the gulf of Cariaco, between the city of this name and thatof Cumanagoto.
COTUE, a small island of the N. sea; siPiate near the n. coast of the island of Cuba.
COTUI, a town of St. Domingo ; founded, in 1504, by Rodrigo Mexia deTruxillo, by the order of the cometidador mayor of Alca.ntara, Nicolas de Obando, 16 leagues to the n. of the capital, St. Domingo, on the skirt of some mountains which are 12 leagues in height, and at the distance of two leagues from the river Yauna. It is a small and poor town. Its commerce depends upon the salting of meats, and in preparing tallow and hides to carry to St. Domingo, and in the chase of wild goats, which are sold to the French. In its mountains is a copper mine, two leagues to the s. e. of the town. The Bucaniers, a French people of the island of Tortuga, commanded by Mr. Pouancy, their governor, took and sacked it in 1676. (In
1505, the gold mines were worked here. The copper mine above alluded to is in the mountain of Meymon, whence comes the river of the same name, and is so rich, that the metal, when refined, will produce eight per cent, of gold. Here are also found excellent lapis lazuli, a streaked chalk, that some painters prefer to bole for gilding, loadstone, emeralds, and iron. The iron is of the best quality, and might be conveyed from the chain of Sevico by means of the river Yuna. The soil here is excellent, and the plantains produced here are of such superior quality, that this manna of the
Antilles is called, at St. Domingo, Sunday plantains. The people cultivate tobacco, but are chiefly employed in breeding swine. The inhabitants are called clownish, and of an unsociable character. The town is situated half a league from the s. w. bank of the Yuna, which becomes unnavigable near this place, about 13 leagues from its mouth, in the bay of Samana. It contains 160 scattered houses, in the middle of a little savana, and surrounded Avith woods, SO leagues n. of St. Domingo, and 15 s.e. of St. Yago.)
COUCHSAGE, a settlement of Indians of the province and colony of New York ; situate on the shore of the river Hudson.
(COUDRAS, a small island in St. Lawrence river, about 45 miles n. e. of Quebec.)
COUECHI, a settlement of Indians of N. Carolina, in the territory of the Cheroquees.
COUICAN, a settlement of the head settlement of Guiméo, and alcald'ia mayor of Cirindaro, in Nueva Espafia. It contains 93 families of Indians.
COUL, Bay of, on the e. coast of the cape Breton, in Spanish bay, and at the entrance of the lake Labrador.
COULEURE, a bay of the island of Martinique, one of the Antilles, on the n. w. coast, near Pearl island.
Couleure, a small river of this island, which runs «. w. and enters the sea in the bay of its name.
CORUCO. Sec Cabo.
(COUNTRY Harbour, so called, is about 20 leagues to the e. of Halifax, in Nova Scotia.)
COUPEE, a point of the coast and shore of the Mississippi in Canada, [it is also called Cut Point, and is a short turn in the river Mississippi, about 35 miles above Mantchac fort, at the gut of Ibberville, and 259 from the mouth of the river. Charlevoix relates that the river formerly made a great turn here, and some Canadians, by deepening the channel of a small brook, diverted the waters of the river into if, in the year 1722. The impetuosity of the stream was such, and the soil of so rich and loose a quality, that in a short time the point was entirely cut through, and the old channel left dry, except in inundations ; by which travellers save 14 feagues of their voyage. The new channel has been sounded Avith a line of SO fathoms, without finding bottom. The Spanish settlements of Point Coupee extend 20 miles on the w. side of the Mississippi, and there are some plantations back on the side of La Fause Riviere, through Avhich the Mississippi passed about 70 years ago. The fort at Point Coupee is a square