Great South Sea

Southern Ocean

Atlantic Ocean

Galapagos or Inchanted I^s.

Peru

Brasil

Icy Sea

Pacific Ocean

Cabo de la Vela

Bahia Honda

The Small Antilles

Curacao

Aruba

Bonair

Roca

Orchilla

Blanca

Amazonia

Chili

Cuyo

Patagonia

Tierra del Fuego

I. of Chiloe

Cordillera de los Andes

Saxemburg
23d. of August 1670

Division of South America with a Summary Account of its Trade.

South America is Divided into Nine Principal parts Viz.}}

Carthagena, S^ta. Martha and Rio de la Hacha; Venezuela, Caraceas;
Cumana, or new Andalusia; Paria, & part of Guayana, Popayan with
Choco; & the New Kingdom of Granada whose Capital Santa Fé is
the Metropolis of all Tierra Firma; with Several Islands belonging
to the Spaniards, except Curaçao and Bonair which belong to the
Dutch. All along the Coast from Carthagena, there are Pearl Fisheries,
the Principal of which are at Margarita, Cubagua, Cumanagotto
& la Rencheria. The whole Country abounds in Mines of Gold and
Precious Stones, Indigo, Cocheneal & The Trees that produce the
Balsa generally known under the name of Balsam of Tolu
grow in the Governement of Popayan. The City of Panana is the
center of Commerce from Peru & Chili. As soon as ever the Galleons
enter the Port of Carthagena an expreſs is dispatch'd over land to
Panama, from whence he proceeds by Sea to Lima. In the mean
time all the neceſsary preparations are made for Conveying y^e Treasure
as soon as it arrives, either by Sea or Land to Porto-belo. The Viceroi of Peru, on the other
hand, makes all imaginable dispatch in Sending the Lima Fleet escort'd
by an Armadilla or Small Squadron of Men of War to Panama, where as
soon as Arrived they are unladen, & the Goods forwarded to Porto-belo.
This may be perform'd two ways by Land, which is a Journey of 50 Miles
& a pretty good road in Summer; or by Water, which is y^e only method in
Winter. & then the Plate & Goods are Convey'd to Venta de Cruz, which is 20 Miles, by
Mules, & then down y^e Rio Chagre into the Sea, whence they are transported to
Porto-belo, which is about 18 Leagues distant. These different methods of
Carriage are of vast utility, for in y^e Summer Rio Chagre is frequently so low
that Boats cannot paſs; & in Winter, when y^e navigation by that River is free, y^e Road by
land is altogether Imapſsable. As soon as the Lima Ships are unladen
at Panama they Sail to Perico, a little Island at a small
distance from Panama, & there wait the return of the European
goods from Porto-belo, by the same Carriage their were sent
thither, & having taken this on board they imediately Sail away
for Lima.

Quito, Lima or Peru Proper, called the Royal Audience and
las Chareas or Audience of la Plata.
Peru abounds in Mines of Gold & Silver, the most Famous of which
are the Mines of Potoſi; in that Neighbourhood is the Town of Porco
whose Mines are still richer, but harder to Work by reasons of the Water
that is found in them; whereas there is none in the Mines of Potoſi,
even at a very great depth. Nearer the Coast are the
famous Mines of Lipes & towards the North, those of
Oruro, whence they draw a Fifth part of Silver from the Ore,
besides many others. It may not be amiſs to Observe, that
when Mines are shut up, & not longer wrought, we must not
Suppose that they are totally lost, for after a Considerable Space,
they open them, & draw from them fresh Riches, sometimes in
greater quantities than at First. The Town of Arica is the
proper Port of Potoſi & la Plata. In the Month of March they begin
to bring y^e Silver from thence to Arica, & in June the Flota from Lima
comes to Fetch it. There is a Constant intercourse between la Plata,
Lipes, Oruro, & this Port, by land, for conveniency of which there
are Inns at every 4 Leagues insomuch that it is computed there are
two Thousand Persons employ'd in the Management of these Inns
and as Carriers.
Lima called also the City of the Kings, is the Capital of all South
America, as well as of Peru, & the residence of the Viceroy. Its
Inhabitants have been so rich that in 1682, on the entry of the
Duke de la Plata, their Viceroy, they paved two of the Streets, thro
which he paſsed, with Ingots of Silver, to the amount of Eighty
Millions of Pieces of Eight, which is about Eighteen Millions Sterling
but they are not conceived to be near so rich at present. Callao is
the Port of Lima ; its road is by much the largest & Fairest in the
South Seas. There are two Flottas annually Sail from thence, one for
Arica, the other for Panama. The former Sails about the end of
February, & having receiv'd at Arica the Silver sent from the Mines,
returns towards the end of March. In the beginning of May the
Flota Sails for Panama, having on board the Wealth from Potoſi,
the Silver from Chili, which comes in the Valparaiso Fleet, the
King's revenue & Merchandises from all parts of Peru and
the Audience of las Charcas: and on the return of this Fleet
laden with European Commodities they are disposed of from
hence, part by Sea & part by Land, to all the different places
to which they are destined. Besides these Fleets, there Sail
Annually two Ships for Acapulco; & the Indian Commodities
which they bring are all deposited in the magazines at Callao
and sent from hence to all the Southern Provinces of America.

It takes its name from the River Amazon that runs thro
that immense Country, from West to East, the Course of that River
was drawn in 1743 & 44 by M^r. de la Condamine.

Spanish Guayana, is comprehended in Terra Firma,
Dutch Guayana, contains the Colonies of Eſsequebe, Berbice
and Surinam.
French Guayana, contains the Colony of Cayenne, with
Several Forts & Settlements.
The Dutch & French cultivate Coffee, Cotton, Sugar, Rocon, or
Annate & Cocoa.

the Bay of all Saints, Seregipe, Olinda Paraiba, Riogrande
Seara, Maranham & Para, os Ilheos, Porto Seguro, Spiritu Santo &
Riojaneiro, with the Commarcas of S^t. Paul & of the Mines.
The Portuguese in the Northern Captainships, are Masters
of all the Coasts and 10 or 12 Leagues up–

–in the Country, but in the Southern Captainships their
Settlements extend a Great deal further in the Interior
parts of the Land. Braſil, produces Gold, Tobacco & the
best Sugar in great Plenty. Some years since the Portugese
have Discover'd several Mines of Diamonds which are very
Rich, & whose productions are almost as fine as those of the
Mines of Asia.

1^st. of Aſsomption, whose Eastern part is the Province of Chaco.
2^d. of Buenos-ayres.
The Spaniards are become the absolute owners of that
Country, since the expulsion of the Jesuits who had
establish'd there an Independant Government, under the
pretext of converting & civilizing the Indians. Paraguay
abounds in very rich Mines both of Gold & Silver; there is
besides plenty of Valuable Commodities, especially the Herb-
-Paraguay. The use made of it, is to compose a Certain Draught,
Infusion, or Tea which recovers such as Work in the Mines from
those grevious Cholicks & intolerable disorders in the Stomach
caused by the exhalations in such places. The amount of this
Trade is at least a Million & a Half of Pieces of Eight
per Annum. By the Help of Rio Pilcomayo there is a
quick & Straight paſsage from Potoſi to Buenos-ayres; and
a good Road thither also by Land. The importance of
Buenos-ayres consiſts chiefly in its Convenient Situation
for Commerce, indeed for such a Commerce as no Port in
the Spaniſh Indies, can boast of the like. Hither come,
even from the most distant Provinces, the most valuable
Commodities in order to be Exchang'd for European
Goods : ſuch as Vigonia Wool from all parts of Peru, and
Chili, Copper from Coquimbo, Gold from Chili, & Silver
from Potoſi. Tobacco, Sugar, Cotton thread, wax, Cotton Cloth
from Paraguay. The Herb of that name is transported
from Santafé to Potoſi, partly in Waggons & partly on Mules;
and tho it be a Journey of five Hundred Leagues, yet they
Commonly perform it in a Month. They dispose of the Herb for
ready Money, & generally gain upon it Cent per Cent.
The Journey to the Mines of Chili is much more troublesome
because the paſsage thro the Mountains which divide
that Country from the Inland parts of America, is paſsable
only from December to March. The Commerce between
Buenos-ayres, & Peru is Chiefly for the Sale of Cattle, & of
Mules for the Mines. The Trade carried on between Buenos-ayres
& Europe ought to be only by Register Ships from Spain,
but besides these, the Inhabitants carry on a great Contraband
Commerce.
On the North Side of Rio de la Plata, in Paraguay, the
Portuguese have a colony called Colonia do Sacramento
which was granted to them by a Treaty with the Spaniards
in 1750.

This country abounds every where with Gold, Silver, Copper,
Lead, Mercury, Saltpetre & Sulphur, & from such parts of it
as the Spaniards have thoroughly Settled, they reap
Immense Profits. The Soil is Wonderfully Fertile.
Producing not only Indian but European Corn, Wine, Fruits
& all the Neceſsaries of Life in abundance;
Whatever Herbs, Fruites or Flowers grow in Spain, are
cultivated with Succeſs here: & we learn from the accounts
of the latest travellers, that in the Gardens of the Cities
near the Coast, Orange-trees are Kept bearing all the Year.
The Richest part of Chili is still in the hands of the
Natives, & like to remain so, their Mountainous Situations
affording the Indians such Advantages, as the Europeans,
considering their small Number can hardly ever Surmount.
In the mean time, the Governors run away with ^the greatest part of y^e
Wealth accruing from this Impertant Settlement, the King on the
one hand being daily cheated of his revenues, and
on the other paying prodigious Salaries; so that smaller
returns are made to Spain, en the King's Account from
hence that can well be Imagined. It must however be
owned that within these Twenty Years, some pains have
been taken to Remedy this abuse.

Known under the names of Tierra del Fuego, & Falklands-
Islands.
Tierra del Fuego, or the Land of Fire, so named from
a burning Mountain that is seen at a great distance,
is a Desolate & Barren Country.
The Isles of Falkland belong to Great Britain by Right of
first Discovery. The English have a Fort & Settlement
at Port Egmont, in Saunders Island, on the North of the
Western Falkland, & the Spaniards have a Fort in the
Eastern Isle. As Port Egmont, is a very safe & capacious
Harbour, It will become of great utility to the British Navy
& even ^to Privateers, in any future War, to annoy the Spanish
Trade in the South Sea.

North Sea of the Spaniards

The Small Antilles

This Land is all intersected
with Chanels that fall in the Orinoko

A Country full of Morasses

These Indians Call the River Madeira
Parana-Miri, that is to say, the Little
River, to distinguish it from the
Amazon which they Call Parana-
Guru, or the Great River

Chuncos rebelled in 1742

los Plateros
Indians so named by
the Spaniards because
they wear in their ears
Pendants of Gold and Silver

Antient Abode of the Manaos

Plain Lands overflowed in the Rainy Season

Portage of four Miles

Portage of
one Mile

Thirty nine Falls in this
part of the River

Narrows & Fall of Caniscto
where the Tide
ends

Maroni R. the source unknown

R. Paranatinga
which falls in the Amazon by the name of R. Zingu

Thick Bushy
Ground

High
Mountains

Strait Paſses or Waterfalls

Plain Flat Country

Salvador, or City of the Bay, being the Capital of Braſil

Aldea Veroassu
or Village of Saltworks

I. de Fernão de Noronha
where the Portuguese
Keep a Garrisson

by the Silhouette 1754
& the Fidele 1758

by the Vaillant in 1761

The Equinoctial Line