LatAm Digital Edition and Gazetteer

COT

COT

525

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,

1

Palpakachi,

Llikehavilea,

Corpahuasi,

Pituhuanca.