t 



Ch. II. SOUTH AMERICA. 25 



baftian de Eflava; who defended Carthagena againfl: 

 the powerful invafion of the Englifh in 1741. 



Cart^hagena has alfo a bifhop, whofe fpiritual ju- 

 rifdidion is of the fame extent as the mihtary and civil 

 government. The ecclefiaftical chapter is compofed of 

 the bifhop and prebends. There is alfo a court of in- 

 quifition, whofe power reaches to the three provinces of 

 Ifla Efpanola (where it was firft fettled), Terra Firma, 

 and Santa Ee. 



Besides thefe tribunals, the police and adminiftration 

 of juftice in the city is under a fecular magiftracy, con- 

 fifting of regidores, from whom every year are chofen two 

 alcaldes, who are generally perfons of the higheft efteem 

 and diftindlion. There is alfo an office of revenue, un- 

 der an accomptant and treafurer: here all taxes and 

 monies belonging to the king are received ; and the pro- 

 per ifTues diredled. A perfon of the law, with the title 

 of auditor de la gente deguerra, determines procefles. 



The jurifdi(ftion 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 

 province of Antioquia; from thence it ftretches weft- 

 ward to the river of Darien ; and from thence north- 

 ward to the ocean, all along the coafts between the 

 mouths of thefe two rivers. The extent of this govern- 

 ment from E. to W. is generally computed at 53 

 leagues; and from fouth to north 85. In this fpace 

 are feveral fruitful vallies, called by the natives favannahs; 

 as thofe of Zamba, Zenu, Tolu, Mompox, Baranca, 

 and others and in them many fettlemcnts large and 

 fmall, of Europeans, Spanifli Creoles, and Indians. 

 There is a tradition, that all thefe counties, 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 feen, in the 

 neighbourhoods of Simiti San Lucas, and Guamaco; but 

 they are nov/ negleded, being, as imagined, exhaufted. 

 But what equally contributed to the richncfs of this 



(pountry 



/ 



