nillo tree is particularly remarkable. It bears a fruit refembing i apple, but which, under this fpecious appearance, contains the mi fubtile poifon, against which common oil is found to be the bei tidote. The malignity of this tree is fuch, that if a perfona fleeps under it, he finds his body all fwelled, and racked with the is vereft tortures. The beafts from inftinct always avoid it. The Ea bella de Carthagena is the fruit of a fpecies of willow, and c a kernel' refembling an almond, but lefs white, and extremely ba This kernel is found to be an excellent and never failing remedy in the bite of the most venomous vipers and ferpents, which are frequent all over this country. There were formerly rich, ma gold in this country, which are now in a great measure exhala The filver, iron, and copper mines, have been fince opened, and the inhabitants find emeralds, fapphires, and other precious fones

Animals.] Among thofe peculiar to this country the mån markable is the Sloth; or, as it is called by way of derifion, the Su Peter. It bears a refemblance to an ordinary monkey in shape fize, but is of a most wretched appearance, with its bare ham ut fect, and its fkin all over corrugated. He stands in no need of ether chain or hutch, never ftirring unless compelled by hunger; and he is faid to be feveral minutes in moving one of his legs, nor vil blows make him mend his pace. When he moves, every effort is attended with fuch a plaintive, and at the fame time so disagree a cry, as at once produces pity and difguft. In this cry confish the whole defence of this wretched animal. For on the firft hofte Ş proach it is natural for him to be in motion, which is always ac panied with difguftful howlings, fo that his purfuer flies much Ipeedily in his turn, to be beyond the reach of this horrid When this animal finds no wild fruit on the ground, he looks at with a great deal of pains for a tree well loaded, which he aime with a world of uneafinefs, moving, and crying, and stopping b turns. At length having mounted, he plucks off all the fruit, and throws it on the ground, to fave himfelf fuch another trouble journey; and rather than be fatigued with coming down the tree. gathers himself in a bunch, and with a fhriek drops to the gread

The monkies in thefe countries are very numerous; they keep gether 20 or 30 in a company, rambling over the woods, kapag from tree to tree, and if they meet with a fingle perfon, he is in éé ger of being torn to pieces by them; at least they chatter, and man” a frightful noife, throwing things at him: they hang themselves the tail, on the boughs, and feem to threaten him all the way 14 paffes; but where two or three people are together they ufually ican

per away.

Natives.] Befides the Indians in this country, there is anothe fpecies of a fair complexion, delicate habit, and of a finaller ftatut than the ordinary Indians. Their difpofitions too are more fuit an effeminate; but what principally distinguishes them is their lar weak blue eyes, which, unable to bear the light of the fun, fee t by moon-light, and from which they are therefore called moon-ey. Indians.

Inhabitant

Inhabitants, Commerce, and Chief Towns.] The original inhabitants Spain are variously intermixed with the negroes and Indians. These termixtures form various gradations, which are carefully diftinithed from each other, becaufe every perfon expects to be regardI in proportion as a greater fhare of the Spanish blood runs in his ins. The firft diftinction, arifing from the intermarriage of the hites with the negroes, is that of the Mulattoes, which is well hown. Next are the Tercerones, produced from a white and mulatto. rom the intermarriage with thefe and the whites arife the Quarones, who, though ftill nearer the former, are difgraced with a nt of negro blood. But the produce of thefe and the whites are e Quinterones, which is very remarkable are not to be diftinguithd from the real Spaniards, but by being of a still fairer complexion. The fame gradations are formed in a contrary order, by the interixture of the mulattoes and the negroes; and befides these, there re a thousand others, hardly diftinguishable by the natives themelves. The commerce of this country is chiefly carried on from the sorts of Panama, Carthagena, and Porto-Bello; which are three of the most confiderable cities in Spanish America; and each conaining feveral thousand inhabitants. Here there are annual fairs or American, Indian, and European commodities. Among the atural merchandize of Terra Firma, the pearls found on the coaft, particularly in the bay of Panama, are not the least confiderable. An immenfe number of negro flaves are employed in fishing for these, and have arrived at wonderful dexterity at this occupation. They are fometimes, however, devoured by fifh, particularly the fharks, while they dive to the bottom, or crushed against the fhelves of the rocks. The government of Terra Firma is on the fame footing with that of Mexico.

Boundaries.] BOUNDED by Terra Firma, on the North; by

the mountains, or Cordeleirias des Andes, East;

by Chili, South; and by the Pacific ocean, West.

mate of Lima, are not fufficient to compenfate for one difafter, which always threatens, and has fometimes actually befallen them. In the year 1747, a moft tremendous earthquake laid three fourths of th city level with the ground, and entirely demolished Callao, the port town belonging to it. Never was any deftruction more terrible or perfect, not more than one of 3000 inhabitants being left to recert this dreadful calamity, and he by a providence the most fingar and extraordinary imaginable.-This man, who happened to be ca fort which overlooked the harbour, perceived in one minute the inhabitants running from their houses in the utmost terror and confufict; the fea, as is ufual on fuch occafions, receding to a confiderable d tance, returned in mountainous waves, foaming with the violent of the agitation, buried the inhabitants for ever in its bofom, mé immediately all was filent; but the fame wave which deftroyed the town, drove a little boat by the place where the man food, et which he threw himself, and was faved. Cufco, the ancient capol of the Peruvian empire, has already been taken notice of. A Jyes in the mountainous country, and at a distance from the fea, & has been long on the decline; bat is ftill a very confiderable place. and contains above 40,000 inhabitants, three parts Indians, and very industrious in manufacturing baize, cotton, and leather. They have alfo both here and in Quito a particular tafte for painting, and the productions in this way, fome of which have been admired in Ita. are difperfed all over South-America. Quito is next to Lima in po pulouinefs, if not fuperior to it. It is like Cufco, an inland c and having no mines in its neighbourhood, is chiefly famous for s manufactures of cotton, wool, and flax, which fupply the confump tion over all the kingdom of Peru.

Inhabitants, Manners, and Government.] It has been gueffed by fome writers, that in all Spanish America, there are about three mil Tions of Spaniards and Creoles of different colours; and undoubtedly the number of Indians is much greater; though neither in any refpect proportionable to the wealth, fertility, and extent of the coun try. The manners of the inhabitants do not remarkably differ over the whole of the Spanish dominions. Pride and laziness are the two predominant paffions. It is agreed on by the most authentic traveljers, that the manners of Old Špain have degenerated in its colones. The Creoles, and all the other defcendents of the Spaniards, according to the above diftinctions, are guilty of many mean and pilfering vices, which a true born Caftilian could not think of but with derutation. It is in Lima that the Viceroy refides, whofe authority extends over all Peru, except Quito, which has been lately detached from it. The Viceroy is as abfolute as the King of Spain, but as his territories are fo extenfive, it is neceffary that he should part with a fhare of his authority to the feveral audiences or courts established over the kingdom. There is a treasury-court eftablithed at Limu, for receiving the fifth of the produce of the mines, and certain taxes paid by the Indians, which belong to the King of Spain.

Boundaries.] BOUNDED by Peru, on the North; by La Plata,

on the Eaft; by Patagonia, on the South; and by

Imperial.

On the Eaft fide Cuyo, or Cutio,} {St John de Frontieræ.

of the Andes,

akes.] The principal lakes are thofe of Tagatagua near St Jago, that of Paren. Befides which, they have feveral falt-water that have a communication with the fea part of the year: In weather the fea forces a way through them, and leaves them fith; but in the hot feafon the water congeals, leaving a cruft \white falt a foot thick.

Seas, and Harbours.] The only fea that borders upon Chili the Pacific ocean on the Weft.

incipal bays or harbours are Copiapo, Coquimbo, Gevanadore,valparifo, Iata, Conception, Sancta Maria, La Moucha, Baldivia, Brewers-haven, and Caftro.

Climate, Soil, and Produce.] Thefe are not remarkably different from the fame in Peru. There is indeed no part of the world more favoured than this is, with respect to the gifts of nature; for here, not only the tropical fruits, but all fpecies of grain, of which a confiderable part is exported, come to great perfection. Their animal productions are the fame with thofe of Peru, and they have gold almoft in every river.

Inbabitants.] This country is very thinly inhabited. The original natives are still in a great measure unconquered and uncivilized; and leading a wandering life, attentive to no object but their prefer

mate of Lima, are not fufficient to compenfate for one difafter, which always threatens, and has fometimes actually befallen them. In the year 1747, a most tremendous earthquake laid three fourths of the city level with the ground, and entirely demolished Callao, the port town belonging to it. Never was any deftruction more terrible or perfect, not more than one of 3000 inhabitants being left to record this dreadful calamity, and he by a providence the moft fingni and extraordinary imaginable.-This man, who happened to be on a fort which overlooked the harbour, perceived in one minute the inhabitants running from their houses in the utmost terror and confufi; the fea, as is ufual on fuch occafions, receding to a confiderable du tance, returned in mountainous waves, foaming with the violence of the agitation, buried the inhabitants for ever in its bosom, and immediately all was filent; but the fame wave which destroyed the town, drove a little boat by the place where the man flood, it which he threw himself, and was faved. Cufco, the ancient capel of the Peruvian empire, has already been taken notice of. As t lyes in the mountainous country, and at a distance from the fea, it has been long on the decline; bat is ftill a very confiderable place, and contains above 40,000 inhabitants, three parts Indians, and very industrious in manufacturing baize, cotton, and leather. They have alfo both here and in Quito a particular tafte for painting, and ther productions in this way, fome of which have been admired in Italy, are difperfed all over South-America. Quito is next to Lima in populouinefs, if not fuperior to it. It is like Cufco, an inland city and having no mines in its neighbourhood, is chiefly famous for manufactures of cotton, wool, and flax, which fupply the confump tion over all the kingdom of Peru.

Inhabitants, Manners, and Government.] It has been gueffed by fome writers, that in all Spanish America, there are about three mil Tions of Spaniards and Creoles of different colours; and undoubtedly the number of Indians is much greater; though neither in any re fpect proportionable to the wealth, fertility, and extent of the country. The manners of the inhabitants do not remarkably differ over the whole of the Spanish dominions. Pride and lazinefs are the two predominant paffions. It is agreed on by the most authentic traveljers, that the manners of Old Spain have degenerated in its colonies. The Creoles, and all the other defcendents of the Spaniards, according to the above diftinctions, are guilty of many mean and pilfering vices, which a true born Caftilian could not think of but with deci tation. It is in Lima that the Viceroy refides, whofe authority extends over all Peru, except Quito, which has been lately detached from it. The Viceroy is as abfolute as the King of Spain, but as his territories are fo extenfive, it is neceffary that he should part with a fhare of his authority to the feveral audiences or courts eftabi thed over the kingdom. There is a treafury-court eftablithed at Lima, for receiving the fifth of the produce of the mines, and certain taxes paid by the Indians, which belong to the King of Spain.