BOUNDARIES.] BOUNDED by New Mexico, or Granada, on the North; by the Gulf of Mexico, on the Northeaft; by Terra Firma, on the South-eaft; by the Pacific Ocean, on the South-weft; containing three audiences, viz. BAYS.] On the North Sea are the gulfs or bays of Mexico, Campeachy, Vera Cruz, and Honduras; in the Pacific Ocean, or South Sea, are the bays of Micoya and Amapalla, Acapulco, and Sa linas. CAPES.] Thefe are the Cape Sardo, Cape St. Martin, Cape Condu cedo, Cape Catoche, Cape Honduras, Cape Cameron, and Cape Gra cias Dios, in the North Sea. Cape Marques, Cape Spirito Santo, Cape Corientes, Cape Gallero, Cape Blanco, Cape Burica, Cape Prucreos, and Cape Mala, in the South Sea. WINDS.] In the Gulf of Mexico, and the adjacent feas, there are ftrong north winds from October to March, about the full and change of the moon. Trade winds prevail every where at a diftance from land within the tropics. Near the coaft, in the South Sea, they have periodical winds, viz. monfoons, and fea and land breezes, as in Afia. SOIL AND CLIMATE.] Mexico, lying for the moft part within the torrid zone, is exceflively hot; and on the eastern coaft, where the land is low, marfhy, and conftantly flooded in the rainy feafons, it is likewife extremely unwholesome. The inland country, however, alfumes a better afpect, and the air is of a milder temperament; on the weftern fide the land is not fo low as on the caftern, much better in quality, and full of plantations. The foil of Mexico in general is of a good variety, and would not refufe any fort of grain, were the industry of the inhabitants to correfpond with their natural advantages. PRODUCE.] Mexico, like all the tropical countries, is rather more abundant in fruits than in grain. Pine-apples, pomegranates, oranges, lemons, citrons, figs, and cocoa-nuts, are here in the greateft plenty and perfection. Mexico produces alfo a prodigious quantity of fugar, efpecially towards the Gulf of Mexico, and the provinces of Guaxaca and Guatimala; fo that here are more fugar-mills than in any other This city was fwallowed up by an earthquake on the 7th of June, 1773, when eight thousand families instantly perished. New Guatimala is built at fome dikante and is well inhabited. part of Spanish America. Cedar-trees and log-wood abound about the bays of Campeachy and Honduras; the maho-tree alfo, which has a bark with such ftrong fibres that they twift and make ropes of. They have also a tree which is called light-wood, being as light as a cork, of which they make floats to carry their merchandise on the fea-coafts. But what is confidered as the chief glory of this country, and what firft induced the Spaniards to form fettlements upon it, are the mines of gold and filver. The chief mines of gold are in Veragua and New Granada, bordering upon Darien and Terra Firma. Thofe of filver, which are much more rich, as well as numerous, are found in several parts, but in none fo much as in the province of Mexico. The mines of both kinds are always found in the moft barren and mountainous parts of the country; nature making amends in one refpect for her defects in another. The working of the gold and filver mines depends on the fame principles. When the ore is dug out, compounded of feveral heterogeneous fubftances mixed with the precious metals, it is broken into small pieces by a mill, and afterwards wathed, by which means it is difengaged from the earth and other foft bodies which clung to it. Then it is mixed with mercury, which, of all fubstances, has the ftrongest attraction for gold, and likewise a ftronger attraction for filver than the other fubftances, which are united with it in the ore. By means of the mercury, therefore, the gold and filver are firft feparated from the heterogeneous matter, and then, by ftraining and evaporation, they are ditunited from the mercury itself. It has been computed that the revenues of Mexico amount to twenty-four millions of our money; and it is well-known that this, with the other provinces of Spanish America, fupply the whole world with filver. The other articles next in importance to gold and filver are the cochineal and cocoa, The former is of the animal kind, and of the fpecies of the gall infects. It adheres to the plant called opuntia, and fucks the juice of the fruit, which is of a crímfon colour. It is from this juice that the cochineal derives its value, which confifts in dyeing all forts of the fineft fcarlet, crimson, and purple. It is allo ufed in medicine as a fudorific, and as a cordial; and it is computed that the Spaniards annually export no lefs than nine hundred thousand pounds' weight of this commodity to anfwer the purpofes of medicine and dyeing. The cocoa, of which chocolate is made, grows on a tree of a middling fize, which bears a pod about the fize and fhape of a cucumber, containing the cocoa. The Spanish commerce in this article is immenfe; and fuch is the general confumption, as well as the external call for it, that a fmall garden of cocoa-trees is faid to produce to the owner twenty-thoufand crowns a-year. At home it makes a principal part of their diet, and is found wholesome, nutritious, and fuitable to the climate. This country likewife produces filks, but not in fuch quantity as to make any remarkable part of their export. Cotton is here in great abundance, and, on account of its lightness, is the common wear of the inhabitants. POPULATION, INHABITANTS, We have already defcribed the GOVERNMENT, AND MANNERS. original inhabitants of Mexico, and the conqueft of that country by the Spaniards. The present inhabitants may be divided into whites, Indians, and negroes. The whites are either born in Old Spain, or they are Creoles, i. e. natives of Spanish América. The former are chiefly employed in government or trade, and have nearly the fame character with the Spaniards in Europe, only a ftill greater portion of pride; for they confider themselves as entitled to a very high diftinction as natives of Europe, and look upon the other inhabitants as many degrees beneath them. The Creoles have all the bad qualities of the Spaniards, from whom they are defcended, without that courage, firminefs, and patience, which conflitute the praifeworthy part of the Spanish character. Naturally weak and effeminate, they dedicate the greatest part of their lives to loitering and inactive pleafures, Luxurious without variety or elegance, and expenfive with great parade and little convenience, their general character is no more than a grave and fpacious infignificance. From idleness and confiitution their whole bufinefs is amour and intrigue; and their ladies, of confequence, are not at all diftinguifhed for their chastity and domeftic virtues. The Indians, who, notwithstanding the devaftations of the farft invaders, remain in great numbers, are become, by continual op preffion and indignity, a dejected, timorous, and milerable race of mortals. The blacks here, like thofe in other parts of the world, are ftubborn, hardy, and as well adapted for the grofs flavery they endure as any human creatures can be. Such is the general character of the inhabitants, not only in Mexico, but the greateft part of Spanish America. The civil government is administered by tribunals, called Audiences, which bear a resemblance to the old parliaments in France. In thefe courts the viceroy of the king of Spain prefides. His employment is the greatest truft and power which his catholic majefty has in his difpofal, and is perhaps the richett government entrusted to any fubject in the world. The greatnels of the viceroy's office is diminished by the fhortness of its duration. For as jealoufy is the leading feature of Spanish politics in whatever regards America, no officer is allowed to retain his power for more than three years; which, no doubt, may have a good effect in fecuring the authority of the crown of Spain, but is attended with unhappy confs. quences to the miferable inhabitants, who become a prey to every new governor. The clergy are extremely numerous in Mexico, and it has been computed that priefts, monks, and nuns of all orders, make upwards of a fifth of all the white inhabitants, both here and in the other parts of Spanish America. The people are fuperftitious, ignorant, rich, lazy, and licentious: with fuch materials to work upon, it is not remarkable that the church fhould enjoy one-fourth of the revenues of the whole kingdom. COMMERCE, CITIES, AND SHIPPING.] The trade of Mexico confifts of three great branches, which extend over the whole known world. It carries on a traffic with Europe, by La Vera Cruz, fituated on the Gulf of Mexico; with the Eaft Indies, by Acapulco on the South Sea, and with South America by the fame port. Thefe two fea-ports, Vera Cruz and Acapulco, are wonderfully well fituated for the commercial purposes to which they are applied. It is by means of the former that Mexico pours her wealth over the whole world, and receives in return the numberlefs luxuries and neceffaries which Europe affords to her, and which the indolence of her inhabitants will never permit them to acquire for themselves. To this port the fleet from Cadiz, called the Flota, confifting of three men of war as a convoy, and fourteen large merchant fhips, annually arrive about the beginning of November Its cargo confifts of every commodity and manufacture of Europe, and there are few nations but have more concern in it than the Spaniards, who fend out little more than wine and oil. The profit of thefe, with the freight and commiffion to the merchants, and duty to the king, ere almott the only advantages which Spain derives from her America. commerce. When all the goods are landed and difpofed of at La Vera Cruz, the fleet takes in the plate, precious ftones, and other commodities for Europe. Some time in May they are ready to depart. From La Vera Cruz they fail to the Havannah, in the Ifle of Cuba, which is the rendezvous where they meet the galleons, another fleet, which carties on the trade of Terra Firma by Carthagena, and of Peru by Panama and Porto Bello. When all are collected, and provided with a convoy neceffary for their fafety, they fteer for Old Spain. Acapulco is the fea-port by which the communication is kept up between the different parts of the Spanish empire in America and the Eaft Indies. About the month of December the great galleon, attended by a large fhip as a convoy, annually arrives here. The cargoes of thefe fhips (for the convoy, though in an under-hand manner, likewife carries goods) confift of all the rich commodities and manufactures of the Eaft. At the fame time the annual fhip from Lima, the capital of Peru, comes in, and is not computed to bring less than two millions of pieces of eight in filver, befides quickfilver, and other valuable commodities, to be laid out in the purchase of the galleon's cargoes.. Several other fhips, from different parts of Chili and Peru, meet upon the fame occafion. A great fair, in which the commodities of all parts of the world are bartered for one another, lafts thirty days. The galleon then prepares for her voyage, loaded with filver and fuch European goods as have been thought neceffary. The Spaniards, though this trade be carried on entirely through their hands, and in the very heart of their dominions, are comparatively but fmall gainers by it. For as they allow the Dutch, Great Britain, and other commercial ftates, to furnish the greater part of the cargo of the flota, fo the Spanish inhabitants of the Philippines, tainted with the fame indolence which ruined their European ancestors, permit the Chinese merchants to furnish the greater part of the cargo of the galleon. Notwithstanding what has been faid of Vera Cruz and Acapulco, the city of Mexico, the capital of the empire, ought to be confidered as the centre of commerce in this part of the world; for here the principal merchants refide, and the greateft part of the bufinefs is negotiated. The Eaft-India goods from Acapulco, and the European from Vera Cruz, all pafs through this city. Hither all the gold and filver come to be coined; here the king's fifth is depofited; and here are wrought all the utenfils and ornaments in plate which are every year fent to Europe. The city itself breathes the air of the higheft magnificence, and, according to the beft accounts, contains about 80,000 inhabitants. SPANISH DOMINIONS IN SOUTH AMERICA, TERRA FIRMA, OR CASTILE DEL ORO. Miles. Breadth 700 SITUATION AND EXTENT. Degrees. 60 and 82 Weft Sq. Miles. between {00 Equator, and 12 V. lat. } 700,000 BOUNDARIES.] BOUNDED by the North Sea (part of the Atlantic Ocean) on the North; by the fame fea and Surinam on the Eaft; by the country of the Amazons and Peru on the South; and by the Pacific Ocean and New Spain on the Weft, Divifions. The northern divifion contains the provinces of.... The fouthern divifion contains the provinces of.... BAYS, CAPES, &c.] The Ifthmus of Darien, of Terra Firma Proper, joins North and South America. A line drawn from Porto Bello, in the North, to Panama in the South Sea, or rather a little weft of thefe two towns, is the proper limit between North and South America; and here the ifthmus or neck of land is only fixty miles over. The principal rivers are the Rio Grande, Darien, Chagre, and the Oronoque. The principal bays in Terra Firma are, the Bay of Panama and the Bay of St. Michael's in the South Sea; the Bay of Porto Bello, the Gulf of Darien, Sino Bay, Carthagena Bay and harbour, the Gulf of Venezuela, the Bay of Maracaibo, the Gulf of Triefto, the Bay of Guaira, the Bay of Curiaco, and the Gulf of Paria, or Andalufia, in the North Sea. The chief capes are, Samblas Point, Point Canoa, Cape del Agua, Swart Point, Cape de Vela, Cape Conquibacoa, Cape Cabelo, Cape Blanco, Cape Galera, Cape Three Points, and Cape Ñaffau; all on the north fhore of Terra Firma. CLIMATE.] The climate here, particularly in the northern divifions, is extremely hot; and it was found by Ulloa, that the heat of the warmeft day in Paris is continual in Carthagena, the exceffive heats raise the vapour of the fea, which is precipitated in fuch rains as feem to threaten a general deluge. Great part of the country, therefore, is 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 unwholefome. SOIL AND PRODUCE.] The foil of this country, like that of the greater part of South America, is wonderfully rich and fruitful. 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, however, only applies to the inland country, for the coafts are generally barren fand, and incapable of bearing any fpecies of grain. The trees moft remarkable for their dimenfions are the caobo, the cedar, the maria, and balfam-tree. The manchineel-tree is particularly remarkable: it bears a fruit refembling an apple, but which, under this fpecious appearance, contains the moft fubtle poifon, againft which common oil is found to be the beft antidote. The ma lignity of this tree is fuch, that if a perfon only fteps under it he finds his body fwelled, and is racked with the fevereft tortures. The beats, from inftinct, always avoid it. The habella de Carthagena is the |