SOUTH AMERICA. WE now enter upon the defcription of that part of the globe, where the human mind will be fucceffively furprised with the fublime and aftonishing works of nature; where rivers of amazing breadth flow through beautiful and widely extended plains, and where lofty mountains, whofe fummits are covered with eternal flow, intercept the courie of the clouds, and hide their heads f.om the view of mortals. In fome parts of this extenfive region, nature hath bountiiully be.towed her treasures, and given every thing neceffary for the convenience and happiefs of man. We have only to regret, that a fet of avaricious men have fuccellively drenched with nocent blood thefe plairs, which are fo beautifully formed, and enriched by the hand of nature; and that the rod of Spanish defpotifm has prevented the population of a country, which might have fupported milliers of beings in affuer ce. Divifiers.] South America, like Alica, is an extenfive penintula, connected with North America by the Isthmus of Daen, and divided between Spain, Portugal, France, Holland, and the Aborigines, as follows: Drugim. Spanish Chili, ions. Paragua, Portu Brazil, St. Salvador. guefe. French. Cayenne,. Caen. Dutch. Surrinam. Paramaribo. Aborig- Amazonia, ines.Patagonia. Of these countries we fhall treat in their order.* Spanish For the left history of South America and Mexico, the read. er is referred to Robertfon's History of America; the Abbe Clavigero's Hiftory of Mexico, and the Abbe Raynal's History of the adies, tranflated by Justamond. Spanish Dominions in S. America. TERRA FIRMA, OR CASTILE DEL ORO. Miles. SITUATION AND EXTENT. Length 1400 between The Equator, & 12° N. lat. 160° & 82° W. longitude." Boundaries.] B Ocean, here called the North Sea; OUNDED north, by the Atlantic eaft, by the fame ocean and Surrinam; fouth, by Amazonia and Peru; weft, by the Pacific Ocean. Rivers.] The principal rivers are the Darien, Chagre, Santa Maria, Conception, and Oronoko. Climate, Soil and Productions.] The climate here, ofpecially in the northern parts, is extremely hot and ful-try during the whole year. From the month of May to the end of November, the feafon called winter by the inhabitants, is almost a continual fucceffion of thunder, rain and tempefts; the clouds precipitating the rain with fuch impetuofity, that the low lands exhibit the appearance of an ocean. Great part of the country is, of confequence, almoft continually flooded; and this, together with the exceffive heat, fo impregnates the air with vapours, that in many provinces, particularly about Popayan and Porto Bello, it is extremely unwholesome. The foil of this country is very different, the inland parts parts being extremely rich and fertile, and the coafts fandy and barren. It is impoffible to view, without admiration, the perpetual verdure of the woods, the luxuriancy of the plains, and the towering height of the mountains. This country produces corn, fugar, tobac ce, and fruits of all kinds.. Chief Towns.] Carthagena is the principal fea port town in Terra Firma. It is fituated on the Atlantic Ocean, in N. lat. 10° 26', and 75° 21′ W. long. The bay on which it ftands is feven miles wide, from north to fouth; and has a fufficient depth of water, with good anchorage; and so smooth, that ships are no more agitated than on a river. The many fhallows at its entrance, however, make the help of a good pilot neceffary. The town and its fuburbs are fortified in the modern ftyle; the streets are ftraight, broad, and well paved. The houfes are principally brick, and one ftory high. This city is the refidence of the governor of the prov ince of Carthagena; and of a bishop, whofe fpiritual jurifdiction extends over the whole province. There is here alfo a court of inquifition. Panama is the capital of Terra Firma Proper, and is fituated in N. lat. 8° 45', W. lon. 79° 55', upon a capacious bay, to which it gives its name. It is the great receptacle of the vast quantities of gold and filver, with other rich merchandize, from all parts of Peru and Chili; here they are lodged in ftore houfes, till the proper feafon arrives to tranfport them to Europe. Porto Bello is fituated clofe to the fea, on the decliv ity of a mountain which furrounds the whole harbour. The convenience and fafety of this harbour is fuch, that Columbus, who first discovered it, gave it the name of Porto Bello, or the Fine Harbour, in N. lat. 9° 33', W. long. 79° 45'. It Hiftory. This part of South America was discovered: by Columbus, in his third voyage to this continent. was fubdued and fettled by the Spaniards about the year 1514, after deftroying, with great inhumanity, fev. eral millions of the natives. This country was called Terra Firma, on account of its being the first part of the continent which was discovered; all the lands dif covered previous to this, being islands. PERU Length 1800 SITUATION AND EXTENTI The Equator, and 25o S,lat. Breadth 500 between {60° and 81° W. longitude. Boundaries.] B weft; by the Pacific Ocean; fouth, OUNDED north, by Terra Firma ; by Chili; and eail, by the mountains called the Andes. Divifions.] Peru is divided into the following provinces: Provinces. Quito, Los Charcos, Chief Towns. Quito, Payta Lima, lat. 12° 1' S.. Rivers.] There are feveral rivers which rife in the Andes, but most of them run to the eastward. Among these are the Grande, Oronoko, Amazon, and La Plata. The Amazon rifes in Peru, but directs its courfe eastward, and after running between 3 and 4000 miles, falls into the. Atlantic Ocean under the equator. This river, like others between the tropics, annually overflows its banks, at which time it is 150 miles wide at its mouth. It is fuppofed to be the largest river in the world, whether we confider the length of its course, the depth of its waters, or its aftonishing breadth. Climate, Air and Soil.] In one part are mountains of a ftupendous height and magnitude, having their fummits covered with fnow; on the other, volcanoes flaming within, while their fummits and chaẩms are involved in ice. The plains are temper te, the beaches and vallies are hot; and laftly, according to the difpofition of the country, its high or low fituation, we find all the variety of gradations of tempera ture, between the two extremes of heat and cold. It is remarkable, that in fome places it never rains; which defect is fupplied by a dew, that falls every night,' and fufficiently refreshes the vegetable creation; but in Quito they have prodigious rains, attended by dreadful storms of thunder and lightning. In the inland parts of Peru, and by the banks of the river, the foil is very fertile; but along the fea-coaft it is a barren fand. Animal and Vegetable Productions.] Vaft numbers of cattle were imported by the Spaniards into Peru, when they took took poffeffion of that country; these are now so amazingly increased, that they run wild, and are hunted like game. The most remarkable animals in this country are the Peruvian fheep, called Lamas and vicunnas. The lama, in fever al particulars resembles the camel, as in the shape of the neck, head, and fome other parts; but has no bunch, is much smaller, and is cloven footed. Its upper lip is cleft Like that of a hare, through which, when enraged, it fpits a venomous juice, that inflames the part on which it falls. The wool, with which it is covered, is of different colours; but generally brown. These animals are generally docile, fo that the Indians use them as beafts of burden. Their fiefh is esteemed preferable to mutton. The vicunna resembles the lamain thape, but is much fmalier, and its wool forter and finer. This country produces fruits peculiar to the climate, and moft of those in Europe. The culture of maize, of pimento and cotton, which was found established there, has not been neglected; and that of wheat, barley, caffava, potatoes, figar, and of the olive and vine, is attended to. The goat has thriven very well; but the sheep have degener ited, and their wool has become extremely coarfe Mines.] In the northern parts of Peru, are feveral gold mine; but thofe of fiver are found all over the country, particularly in the neighbourhood of Potoli. Nature never offered to the avidity of mankind, in any country on the globe, fuch rich mines as th fe of Poton. Thef: famous mines were accidentally discovered in the year 1545, in this manner: An Indian named Hualpa, one day, following fome deer, they made directly up the hill of Potof; he came to a fleep, craggy part of the hill, and the better to enable him to climb up, laid hold of a fhrub, which came up by the roots, and laid open a mass of filver ore. He for fome time kept it a fecret, but afterwards revealed it to his friend Guanca, who, because he would not discover to him the method of refining it, acquainted the Spaniard, his mafter, named Valaroel, with the difcovery. Valaroel registered the mine in 1545; and from that time, till 1638, thefe mines of Potofi had yielded 395,619,000 pieces of eight, which is about 4.255,000 picces a year. Potofi is about 20 or 25 leagues from the city of La Plata. The hill, and alfo the country for a confiderable distance round, is quite barren and defert, and produces neither tree, plant, nor |