SOUTH AMERICAN. 191 



cities, are Quito, the capital ; and south of it, Guayaquil, Riobamba, 

 and Cuenca. Its productions and characteristics are nearly the same 

 as those of New Grenada. Peru, south of Equador, is also tra- 

 versed by the Andes, and contains the river Ucayale, the chief source 

 of the Amazon. Lake Titicaca lies in its southern part, among the 

 mountains. Its chief cities are Lima, the capital ; and south-east of 

 it Cusco, and Arequipa ; but the principal seaports are Callao near 

 Lima, and Truxillo. Peru produces the Peruvian bark, and various 

 tropical fruits ; and it is the native country of the llama, which is used 

 as a beast of burthen. This country is rich in mines of gold and 

 silver; and abounds in interesting ^antiquities. It has been divided 

 into two states, North Peru and South Peru; but the government 

 is at present in an unsettled state. 



3. The Central Division of South America, colonized also by the 

 Spaniards, has a cooler climate than the preceding, but still abounds 

 in tropical productions. Its state in regard to religion, government 

 and civilization, is quite similar to that of the preceding division. 



Bolivia, sometimes called Upper Peru, contains Mount Sorata, 

 said to be the highest peak of the Andes, or nearly four miles and 

 three-fifths, in height. The Madeira river runs from it northward 

 to the Amazon; and the Pilcomayo and Vermejo run south-eastward 

 into the Paraguay. Its chief cities are Chuquisaca, the capital ; and 

 north of it Cochabamba, and La Paz. It raises grain for exporta- 

 tion to Peru, and contains the rich silver mines of Potosi ; but here 

 as in the contiguous countries, the arts are in a backward state. 

 Chili lies south of Peru, or the Desert of Atacama ; and between 

 the Pacific ocean and the Andes. The islands of Chiloe, on the 

 south, and Juan Fernandez, on the west, belong to Chili. Its chief 

 towns are Santiago, the capital, in the interior; and Valparaiso, near 

 it, on the coast. The climate is temperate, and Chili produces various 

 grains, with cotton, sugar, oil, and wine. It has some mines of the 

 precious metals ; and is more advanced in the arts than the preceding 

 states. The southern part is still inhabited by the Jlraucanian 

 Indians ; a brave and hardy race. 



La Plata, or the Argentine Republic, called also Buenos Jlyres, 

 lies east of Chili, and is named from the river La Plata, which runs 

 through its eastern part. It contains also the Salado, which is a 

 branch of the La Plata ; and, in its southern part, the rivers Colorado 

 and Negro. Its chief cities are Buenos Ayres, the capital, in the 

 east ; and Cordova and San Juan, more central. Among the animals 

 of La Plata are the rhea, or American ostrich ; and wild horses and 

 cattle ; which are hunted by horsemen, on its extensive Pampas or 

 plains. Paraguay, north-east of La Plata, and formerly a part of it, 

 lies between the rivers Paraguay and Parana. Assumption is its 

 capital, and though small, its largest city. Most of its inhabitants 

 are Indians. Its government is an absolute monarchy, under a self- 

 constituted Dictator ; and its religion is the Roman Catholic. Uru- 

 guay, or Monte Video, formerly called the Banda Oriental, lies 

 east'of La Plata, and borders on the river Uruguay, from which it is 

 named. Montevideo is its capital and chief city. In productions and 

 characteristics, it resembles La Plata, of which it was formerly a part. 



