Population and Militia. In 1778, the number of white inhabitants in Chili was reckoned at 80,000; negroes 140,000; besides Aborigines, more numerous than both. This number has since much increased. The militia, in

1792, amounted to 15,856 men. Those Indians who are not subject to the Spanish yoke, are very honest in their commercial transactions; they live in small huts. They are brave and warlike, and all the attempts of the Spaniards to subdue them have proved ineffectual.

Towns. ST. JAGO, the capital of Chili, and the seat of government, is 90 miles from the ocean, and 21 from the Andes. It is a large, handsome place. It contained, in 1776, 46,000 inhabitants, which have since increased, and trades largely with Buenos Ayres. The inhabitants are said to be remarkably polite and hospitable. VALPARAISO, the port of St. Jago, is the most commercial city in Chili, lat. 33° 3' S. CONCEPTION is the second city in rank in Chili. It had 13,000 inhabitants in 1776.

VALDIVIA stands between the rivers Callacalles and Portero, where they fall into the South sea. It was built by the Spaniards in 1551, and is one of the largest cities in Chili.

The chief town in the province of Cuyo, is ST. JOHN DE FRONTIERA.

BUENOS AYRES

T

18 an inland country, bounded north by Amazonia, east by Brazil, south by Patagonia, and west by Chili and Peru. It extends from 12° to 37° S. lat. 1500 miles long, and 1000 broad. This extensive country has been called by various names. While attached to Peru, it was called the province of Charcas It has since been called Paraguay, and La Plata, a name which it took from the river La Plata. At present the most common name is the viceroyalty of Buenos Ayres.

Divisions. It is divided into six provinces, Paraguay, Parana, Guira, Uragua, Tucuman, and Rio de la Plata. Rivers. The country is watered by innumerable streams and rivers, which form the grand river La Plata, already described.

Climate, Soil, and Produce. From the situation of this country, some parts of it are extremely hot, from the almost vertical influence of the rays of the sun; while other parts are pleasant aud delightful. But the heat is in some measure abated by the gentle breezes, which generally begin about nine or ten o'clock in the morning, and continue the greatest part of the day. Some parts of the country are very mountainous; but in many others, are extensive and beautiful plains, where the soil is very rich, producing cotton, tobacco, and the valuable herb ealled Paraguay, together with a variety of fruits. There are also rich pastures, in which are bred such herds of cattle, that it is said the hides are the only part exported; while the flesh is left to be devoured by the beasts of the wilderness.

Paraguay sends annually into the kingdom of Peru, 1500 or 2000 mules. They travel over dreary deserts for the distance of 8 or 900 leagues. The province of Tucuman furnishes to Potosi, annually, 16 or 18,000 oxen, and 4 or 5000 horses, brought forth and reared upon ts own territory.

Chief Towns. BUENOS AYRES is the capital of this country. Its situation, on the river La Plata, is healthy and pleasant, and the air temperate. It is regularly built. The number of inhabitants is about 30,000. One side of the town is defended by a fortress, with a garrison of six or seven hundred men. The town stands 180 miles from the sea. The access up the river is very difficult.

MONTE VIDEO stands on a bay of the same name, on the north side of the river La Plata, 20 leagues above its mouth. It lies east of Buenos Ayres, and has its name from a mountain which overlooks it.

GUIANA.

THE extensive country of GUIANA, or CARRIBIANA, stretches along the coast of the Atlantic ocean, from the mouth of the river Oronoko, to Cape North, at the mouth of the Amazon river, between 2° and 8° of north latitude, and between 12° and 25° of east longitude.

Divisions. The western part of this country, called

Surinam, belonged lately to the Dutch-the middle part to the French, whose capital was CAYENNE, and from which the whole territory received its name. The eastern parts were disputed by the French and Dutch, but the principal places in the country have lately been taken by, and are now in possession of the English.

Guiana is now divided into five districts, called EssEQUEBO, DEMERARA, BERBISCH, SURINAM, and CAYENNE. The four first receive their names from rivers, which run through them, and the last from the city of Cayenne, in France.

Climate and Seasons. In the months of September, October and November, the climate is unhealthy, particularly to strangers. A hundred miles back from the sea is a hilly country, a pure, dry, wholesome air, where a fire sometimes would not be disagreeable. The seasons were formerly divided into rainy and dry ; but owing, probably, to the country being more cleared, and a free passage opened for the circulation of the air, this distinction has in a great measure ceased.

Rivers. A number of fine rivers pass through this country; the principal of which are Essequebo, Surinam, Demerara, Berbisch, and Canya. Essequebo is 21 miles wide at its mouth, and is more than 300 miles in length. Surinam is a beautiful river, three quarters of a mile wide, navigable for the largest vessels 12 miles, and for small vessels sixty or seventy miles farther. Its banks, quite to the water's edge, are covered with evergreen and mangrove trees, which render the passage up this river very delightful. The Demerara is about two miles wide at its mouth, opposite to the fort. This river is navigable for vessels that can pass the bar, upwards of 100 miles.

Soil and Productions. The land along the sea coast is low and marshy, and subject to inundations during the rainy seasons. The soil is extremely rich, producing cotton, sugar, tobacco, Indian corn, ginger, indigo, rice, fruits, coffee, and other necessaries of life. In the woods are many species of durable timber, and others highly valuable for ornamental purposes. This country has never experienced hurricanes, those dreadful scourges of the West-Indies, and droughts, from the downess of the

U 2

land, it has not to fear; nor has the produce ever been destroyed by insects, or by the blast.

Animals, Serpents, &c. The woods abound with plenty of deer, hares, and rabbits, a kind of buffalo, and two species of wild-hogs, one of which (the peccary) is remarkable for having something resembling the navel on its back.

The woods are infested with several species of tigers, but with no other ravenous or dangerous animals. The rivers are rendered dangerous by alligators. Scorpions and tarantulas are found here, of a large size and great venom, and other insects without number, some of them very dangerous and troublesome; the torporific eel, also, the touch of which, by means of the bare hand or any conductor, has the effect of a strong electric shock; serpents also, some of which are venomous, and others, as has been asserted by many credible persons, are from twenty-five to fifty feet long. In the woods are monkies, the sloth, and parrots in all their varieties; also, some birds of beautiful plumage, among others, the flamingo, but few or no singing birds.

Chief Towns, PARAMARIBO, situated in lat. 6° north, on Surinam river, four leagues from the sea, is the principal town in Surinam. It contains about 2000 whites, one half of whom are Jews, and 8000 slaves. The houses are principally of wood; some few have glass windows, but generally they have wooden shutters. The streets are spacious and straight, and planted on each side with orange and tamarind trees.

DEMARARA, at the mouth of the river of the same name, contains about 1800 white inhabitants.

It contains

CAYENNE is the principal settlement in the district of that name; it is on an island near the coast. 1200 white inhabitants, exclusive of the garrison.

Aborigines. The most considerable of the Indian nations of Guiana are the Caribbees, the Arvaques, the Yaos, and the Galibis. The Charaibes, or Caribbees, are enterprising, and so cautious of surprise, that they post out guards and centinels, with as much care and art as the Europeans. They are said to have been formerly cannibals. The Galibis are a pacific people; they manufacture hammocks and cotton beds, and are very ingeniSuch as are near the Europeans have learnt to han

ous.

dle fire arms. The Charaibes, in the West-Indies, are thought to derive their origin from these nations. The Charaibes of Guiana still fondly cherish the tradition of Sir Walter Raleigh's alliance; and to this day preserve the English colors, which he left with them at parting about 200 years ago.

BRAZIL

COMPREHENDS all the Portuguese settlements in America, and is situated between the equator and 35 degrees south latitude. A line drawn from the mouth of the Amazon to the mouth of the La Plata, not far from the 15th degree of east longitude, would nearly correspond with its western boundary, from which it extends eastward to about 40 degrees east. Its length, from north to south, is 2500 miles; its breadth 700. It is surrounded on all sides by the mouths of the rivers Amazon and La Plata and the Atlantic ocean, except the west, where it is bounded by Amazonia and the Spanish possessions.

Divisions. It has three grand divisions; the northern, which contains eight provinces or captainships; the middle, which has five; and the southern, which has three; in all sixteen provinces.

Bays, Harbors and Rivers. These are, the harbors of Pernambuco, All Saints, Rio Janeiro, the port of St. Vincent, the Harbor of Gabriel, and the port of St. Salvador. There is a great number of noble streams, which unite with the rivers Amazon and La Plata, beside others, which fall into the Atlantic ocean.

Climate, Soil and Productions. The climate of Brazil is temperate and mild, when compared with that of Africa; owing chiefly to the refreshing wind, which, blows continually from the sea. The air is not only cool but chilly, through the night; so that the natives kindle a fire every evening in their huts. As the rivers in this country annually overflow their banks, and leave a sort of slime upon the land, the soil, in many places, is amazingly rich. The vegetable productions are Indian corn, sugar canes, tobacco, indigo, hides, ipecaquanha, balsam,