\Cn, IV. SOUTH AMERICA. 29 



CÍIAP. IV. 



Of the Inhabitants of Carthage na, 



THE inhabitants may be divided into different 

 cafis or tribes, who derive their origin from a 

 coalition of Whites, Negroes, and Indians. Of each 

 of thefe WQ ihall treat partieularly. 



THEWhites may be divided into two clafTcSjthe Eii' 

 ropeans, and Creoles, or Whites born in the country. 

 The former are commonly called Chapetones, but are 

 not numerous; moft of them cither return into Spain 

 after acquiring a competent fortune, or remove up into 

 inland provinces in order to increaie it. I'hote v.ho are 

 fettled at Carthagena, carry on the whole trade of that 

 place, and live in opulence; whilft the other inhabit- 

 ants are indigent, and reduced to have rccourfc to 

 mean and hard labour for fubfiftence. The families of 

 the White Creoles compofe the landf'd intercfi ; lome 

 of them have large eltates, and are highly refpeclcd, 

 becaui'e their anceliors came into tlie country inveiled 

 w,ith honourable poits, bringing their families with 

 them when they fettled here. Some of thefe famálirs, 

 in order to keep up theif original dignity, liave either 

 married their children to their equals in the country, 

 or fent them as ofiicers on board the galleons; but 

 others have greatly declined. Betides thefe, there 

 are other Whites, in mean circumftances, wl)o either 

 owe their origin to Indian families, or at leaft to an 

 intermarriage with them, ibthat there is fome mixture 

 in their blcod ; but when this is not diicoverable by 

 their colour, the conceit of beins: Whites alleviates the 

 preíTure of every other calamity. 



Among the other tribes which are derived from an 

 intermarriage of the Wlr.tcs with the Negroes, the first 

 are the Mulattos. Next to thefe the Tercerones, pro- 

 duced from a Wliite and a Mulatto, witii fome approxi- 

 mation to the former, but not lb near as to obliterate 



their 



