Ch. II. SOUTH AMERICA. 21 



The city of Carthagena ftands in 10 deg. 25 min. 

 48 I fee. north latitude; and in the longitude of 282 

 deg. 28 min. 36 fee. from the meridian of Paris; and 

 301 deg. 19 min. 36 fee. from the meridian of Pico 

 Teneriffe ; as appeared from our obfervations. The 

 variation of the needle we alfo, from feveral obferva- 

 tions, found to be 8 deg. eafterly. 



The bay, and the country, before called Calamari, 

 were difcovered in 1502 by Roderigo de Baftidas ; and 

 in 1504 Juan de la Cofa and Chriftopher Guerra be- 

 gan the war againft the Indian inhabitants, from whom 

 they met with greater refiftance than they expedted ; 

 thofe Indians being a martial people, and valour fo na- 

 tural to them, that even the women voluntarily fhared 

 in the fatigues and dangers of the war. Their ufual 

 arms were arrows, which they poifoned with the juice of 

 certain herbs ; whence the flighteft wounds were mor- 

 tal. Thefe were fucceeded by Alonfo de Ojeda, who, 

 fome years after landed in the country, attended by the 

 fame Juan de la Cofa, his chief pilot, and Amerco 

 Vefpucio, a celebrated geographer of thofe times ; but 

 made no greater progrefs than the others, though he had 

 feveral encounters with the Indians. Nor was Gregorio 

 Hernandez de Oviedo more fortunate. But, at length, 

 the conqueft of the Indians was accomplifhed by Don 

 Pedro de Heredia, who, after gaining feveral vi6lories 

 over them, peopled the city in the year 1533, ^^^^"^ the 

 title of a government. 



The advantageous fituation of Carthagena, the ex- 

 tent and fecurity of its bay, and the great lhare it attain- 

 ed of the commerce of that fouthern continent, foon 

 caufed it to be erefted into an epifcopai fee. The fame 

 circumftances contributed toitsprefervationand increafe, 

 as the moft efleemed fettlement and ftaple of the 

 Spaniards ; but at the fame time they drew on it the 

 hoftiiities of foreigners, who, thirfting after its riches, 

 or induced by the importance of the place, have feveral 

 times invaded, taken, and plundered it. 



C ,3 Th* 



