^y>. ulloa's voyage to south America. 



in the ornaments, feme of them wanting what even decency requires. The communi-' 

 ties, particularly that of St. Francis, are pretty numerous, and confill of Europeans, 

 white Creoles, and native Indians. 



Carthagena, together with its fuburbs, is equal to a city of the third rank in Europe* 

 It is well peopled, though mofl of its inhabitants are defcended from the Indian tribes^ 

 It is not the moft opulent in this country, for, befides the pillages it has fuffered, no 

 mines are worked here ; fo that moft of the money feen in it is fent from Santa" Fe and 

 Quito, to pay the falaries of the governor and other civil and military officers, and the 

 wages of the garrifon ; and even this makes no long ftay here. It is not, however, 

 unfrequent, to find perfons who have acquired handfome fortunes by commerce, whofe 

 houfes are fplendldly furnifhed, and who live in every refped agreeable to their wealth. 

 The governor refides in the city, which, till 1739, was independent of the military 

 government. In civil affairs, an appeal lies to the audience of Santa Fe ; and a viceroy 

 of Santa Fe being that year created, under the title of viceroy of New Granada, the 

 government of Carthagena became fubjedt to him alfo in military affairs. The firft who 

 filled this viceroyalty was lieutenant-general Don Sebaftian de Eflava ; who defended 

 Carthagena againft the powerful invafion of the Englifli in 1 74 1 . 



Carthagena has alfo a bifhop, whofe fpiritual jurifdidion is of the fame extent as the 

 military and civil government. The ecclefiaftical chapter is conipofed of the bifhop and 

 prebends. There is alfo a court of inquifition, whofe power reaches to the three pro- 

 vinces of Ilia Efpanola (where it was firft fettled), Terra Firma, and Santa Fe. 



Befides thefe tribunals, the police and adminiftration of juftice in the city is under 

 a fecular magiftracy, confifting of regidores, from whom every year are chofen two 

 alcaldes, who are generally perfons of the higheft efteem and diftindion. There is 

 alfo an office of revenue, under an accountant and treafurer : here all taxes and monies 

 belonging to the King are received ; and the proper iffues direfted. A perfon of the 

 law, with the title of auditor de la gente de guerra, determines proceffes. 



The jurifdiftion of the government of Carthagena reaches eaftward to the great river 

 De la Magdalena, and along it fouthward, till, winding away, it borders on the pro- 

 vince of Antioquia ; from thence it ftretches weftward to the river of Darien ; and from 

 thence northward to the ocean, all along the coafts between the mouths of thefe two 

 rivers. The extent of this government, from eaft to weft, is generally computed at 

 iifly-three leagues ; and from fouth to north, eighty-five. In this fpace are feveral 

 fruitful vallies, called by the natives Savannas ; as thofe of Zamba, Zenu, Tolu, Mom- 

 pox, Baranca, and others ; and in them many fettlements large and fmall, of Euro- 

 peans, Spanifh Creoles, and Indians. There is a tradition, that all thefe countries, 

 together with that of, Carthagena, whilft they continued in their native idolatry, 

 abounded in gold ; and fome veftiges of the old mines of that metal are ftill to be ieen 

 in the neighbourhoods of Simiti San Lucas, and Guamaco ; but they are now negleded, 

 being as imagined, exhaufted. But what equally contributed to the richnefs of this 

 country, was the trade it carried on with Choco and Darien ; from whence they brought 

 in exchange for this metal, the feveral manufadures and works of art they ftood in 

 need of. Gold was the moft common ornament of the Indians, both for men and 



women. 



CHAP. III. — Defcription of Carthagena Bay, 



CARTHAGENA bay is one of the beft, not only on the coaft, but alfo in all the 

 known parts of this country. It extends two leagues and a half from north to fouth ; 



has 



