314 SMITHSONIAN MISCELLANEOUS COLLECTIONS VOL. I02 



been in the habit of making. At present it will have as many as 60 

 residents. It is the residence of the Governor and the Bishop of 

 these provinces, and has an excellent Cathedral and two convents, 

 a Dominican and a Franciscan. 



932. The city has abundant, cheap, and delicious supplies of meat, 

 fish, corn, cassava, and bread from flour made in this same State. 

 Its chief commerce is in small amounts of pearls gathered there, 

 brazilwood, guaiacum, very fine henequen fiber, both loose and made 

 into thread, tobacco, some gold and silver from this same State, and 

 other valuables. It has an excellent fort for its defense, with some 

 pieces of bronze artillery. It is the residence of the Royal Officials, 

 Paymaster and Treasurer, for all the provinces of the State. 



933. The district of this Diocese and State is over 70 leagues 

 wide along the seacoast E. and W., from the Rio Grande (de La 

 Magdalena) which divides it from the territory of Cartagena on 

 the W., to the Rio de La Hacha on the E., its boundary with the 

 Diocese of Venezuela. It is 128 leagues long inland, with 10 small 

 cities with Spanish residents in its district. This Diocese is sufifragan 

 to that of Bogota, which bounds it on the S. 



934. Two leagues away from Santa Marta, the Sierra Nevada 

 begins, and runs over 40 leagues, to the Upar Valley. On account 

 of this Sierra Nevada, although Santa Marta has a hot climate, the 

 water is cold and delicious. It has great abundance of fruit, like 

 bananas, aguacates, pineapples, and many sorts of sweet potatoes. 

 The chief provinces of this District and State are Posiguay, Vetona, 

 Chimila, and Tayrona ; but the natives have fallen off greatly in 

 numbers. 



935. The city of La Ramada is 25 leagues E. of Santa Marta ; 

 it has only a few residents, who are busied with their herds of cattle. 

 Ten leagues beyond this city, and thirty-five from Santa Marta, is 

 the city of Rio de la Hacha, which is one of the best and richest 

 in this State. It has over 100 Spanish residents, a parish church, 

 2 convents, a Dominican and a Franciscan, and a hospital in which 

 they care for the indigent sick. It has a good fort with four heavy 

 bronze pieces, with a Warden appointed by His Majesty in consulta- 

 tion with the Supreme Council of the Indies, and with a garrison of 

 soldiers for the defense of the city. There are here a Paymaster and 

 Treasurer of the Royal Patrimony, appointed by His Majesty in 

 consultation with the Royal Council. There are many rivers in the 

 district of this city; (although it is in the State and Diocese of 

 Santa Marta, it falls in the district of the Circuit Court of Bogota). 



