[mines of Charcas, Potosi, Ramos, and Ca torce. B. In the Provincias internas del Vireynato: C. In the Provincias internas de la Commandancia-general Oriental. 1. The province of Cohahuila. It follows from the latest changes which have taken place in the organization of the commandancia-general of Chihuahua, that the intendancy of San Luis now includes, besides the province of Potosi, all that tract which goes under the denomination of Provincias internas Orientales. A single intendant is consequently at the head of an administration which includes a greater surface than all European Spain. But this immense country, gifted by nature with the most precious productions, and situated under a serene sky in the temperate zone, towards the borders of the tropic, is, for the greatest part, a wild desert, still more thinly peopled than the governments of Asiatic Russia. Its position on the eastern limits of New Spain, the proximity of the United States, the frequency of communication with the colonists of Louisiana, and a great number of circumstances which we shall not endeavour here to develope, will probably soon favour the progress of civilization and prosperity in these vast and fertile regions. The intendancy of San Luis comprehends more than 230 leagues of coast, an extent equal to that from Genoa to Reggio in Calabria. But all this coast is without commerce and without activity, with the exception of a few small vessels, which come from the W. Indies to lay in provisions, either at the Bar of Tampico, near Panuco, or at the anchorage of New Santander. That part which extends from the mouth of the Great Rio del Norte to the Rio Sabina is almost still unknown, and has never been examined by navigators. It would be of great importance, however, to discover a good port in this northern extremity of the Gulf of Mexico. Unfortunately, the e. coast of New Spain offers every where the same obstacles, a want of depth for vessels drawing more than 38 decimeters, or 12 feet 5 inches of water, bars at the mouths of the rivers, necks of land, and long islots, of which the direction is parallel to that of the continent, and which prevent all access to the interior basin. The shore of the provinces of Santander and Texas, from lat. 21° to 29°, is singularly festooned, and presents a succession of inferior basins, from four to five leagues in breadth, and 40 to 50 in length. They go by the name of lagunas, or salt-water lakes. Some of them (the Laguna de Tamiagua, for example) are completely shut in. Others, as the Laguna Madre, and the Laguna de San Bernardo, communicate by several channels with the ocean. The latter are of great advantage for a coasting trade, as coasting vessels are there secure from the great swells of the ocean. would be interesting for geology, to examine on the spot if these lagunas have been formed by currents penetrating far into the country by irruptions, or if these long and narrow islots, ranged parallel to the coast, are bars which have gradually risen above the mean level of the waters. It Of the whole intendancy of San Luis Potosi, only that part which adjoins the province of Zacatecas, in which are the rich mines of Charcas, Guadalcazar, and Catorce, is a cold and mountainous country. The bishopric of Monterey, which bears the pompous title of New Kingdom of Leon, Cohahuila, Santander, and Texas, are very low regions; and there is very little undu lation of surface in them. This soil is covered with secondary and alluvial formations. They possess an unequal climate, extremely hot in summer, and equally cold in winter, when the north winds drive before them columns of cold air from Canada towards the torrid zone. Since the cession of Louisiana to the United States, the bounds between the province of Texas and the county of Natchitoches (a county which is an integral part of the confederation of American republics), have become the subject of a political discussion, equally tedious and unprofitable. Several members of the Congress of Washington were of opinion, that the territory of Louisiana might be extended to the left bank of the Rio bravo del Norte. According to them, "all the country called by the Mexicans the province of Texas anciently belonged to Louisiana. Now the United States ought to possess this last province in the whole extent of rights in which it was possessed by France before its cession to Spain; and neither the new denominations introduced by the viceroys of Mexico, nor the progress of population from Texas towards the e. can derogate from the lawful titles of the Congress." During these debates, the American government did not fail frequently to adduce the establishment that M. de Lasale, a Frenchman, formed about the year 1685 near the Bay of St. Bernard, without having} [appeared to encroach on the rights of the crown of Spain. But on examining carefully the general map of Mexico and the adjacent countries on the e. we shall see that there is still a great way from the Bay of St. Bernard to the mouth of the Rio del Norte. Hence the Mexicans very justly allege in their favour, that the Spanish population of Texas is of a very old date, and that it was brought, in the very early periods of the conquest, by Linares, Revilla, and Camargo, from the interior of New Spain; and that M. de Lasale, on disembarking to the w. of the Mississippi, found Spaniards at that time among the savages whom he endeavoured to combat. At present, the intendant of San Luis Potosi considers the Rio Mermentas, or Mexicana, which flows into the Gulf of Mexico to the e. of the Rio de Sabina, as the e. limit of the province of Texas, and consequently of his whole intendancy. It may be useful to observe here, that this dispute as to the true boundaries of New Spain can only become of importance when the country, brought into cultivation by the colonists of Louisiana, shall come in contact with the territory inhabited by Mexican colonists; when a village of the province of Texas shall be constructed near a village of the county of the Opeloussas. Fort Clayborne, situated near the old Spanish mission of the Adayes (Adaes or Adaisses) on the Red River, is the settlement of Louisiana which approaches nearest to the military posts (presidios) of the province of Texas; and yet there are nearly 68 leagues from the presidio of Nacogdoch to Fort Clayborne. Vast steppes, covered with gramina, serve for common boundaries between the American confederation and the Mexican territory. All the country to the w. of the Mississippi, from the Ox River to the Rio Colorado of Texas, is uninhabited. These steppes, partly marshy, present obstacles very easily overcome. We may consider them as an arm of the sea which separates adjoining coasts, but which the industry of new colonists will soon penetrate. In the United States the population of the Atlantic provinces flowed first towards the Ohio and the Tenessee, and then towards Louisiana. A part of this fluctuating population will soon move farther to the westward. The of Mexican territory will suggest the idea of proximity of mines; and on the banks of the Rio Mermentas the American colonist will already in imagination possess a soil abounding in metallic wealth. This error, diffused among the lower people, will give rise to new emigrations; very name and they will only learn very late that the famous mines of Catorce, which are the nearest to Louisiana, are still more than 300 leagues distant from it. The road from New Orleans to the capital of New Spain which has been opened by the inhabitants of Louisiana, coming to purchase horses in the Provincias internas, is more than 540 leagues in length, and is consequently equal to the distance from Madrid to Warsaw. This road is said to be very difficult from the want of water and habitations; but it presents by no means the same natural difficulties as must be overcome in the tracks along the ridge of the cordilleras from Santa Fé in New Grenada to Quito, or from Quito to Cusco. It was by this road of Texas that an intrepid traveller, M. Pagès, captain in the French navy, went in 1767 from Louisiana to Acapulco. The details which he furnishes relative to the intendancy of San Luis Potosi, and the road from Queretaro to Acapulco, which Humboldt travelled thirty years afterwards, display great precision of mind and love of truth; but, unfortunately, Mr. Pages is so incorrect in the orthography of Mexican and Spanish names that we can with difficulty find out from his descriptions the places through which he passed. The road from Louisiana to Mexico presents very few obstacles until the Rio del Norte, and we only begin from the Saltillo to ascend towards the table land of Anahuac. The declivity of the cordillera is by no means rapid there; and we can have no doubt, considering the progress of civilization in the new continent, that land communication will be become gradually very frequent between the United States and New Spain. Public coaches will one day roll on from Philadelphia and Washington to Mexico and Acapulco. The three counties of the state of Louisiana, or New Orleans, which approach nearest to the desert country, considered as the e. limit of the province of Texas, are, reckoning from s. to n. the counties of the Attacappas, of the Opeloussas, and of the Natchitoches. The latest settlements of Louisiana are on a meridian which is 25 leagues e. from the mouth of the Rio Mermentas. The most n. town is Fort Clayborne of Nachitoches, seven leagues e. from the old situation of the mission of the Adayes. To the n. e. of Clayborne is the Spanish Lake, in the midst of which there is a great rock covered with stalactites. Following this lake to the s. s. e. we meet in the extremities of this fine country, brought into cultivation by colonists of French origin, first, with the small village of St. Landry,} three leagues to the n. of the sources of the Rio Mermentas; then the plantation of S. Martin; and, lastly, New Iberia, on the river Teche, near the canal of Bontet, which leads to the Lake of Tase. As there is no Mexican settlement beyond the e. bank of the Rio Sabina, it follows that the uninhabited country which separates the villages of Louisiana from the missions of Texas, amounts to more than 1500 square leagues. The most s. part of these savannas, between the Bay of Carcusin and the Bay of La Sabina, presents nothing but impassable marshes. The road from Louisiana to Mexico goes therefore further to the n. and follows the parallel of the 32d degree. From Natchez travellers strike to the n. of the Lake Cataouillou, by Fort Clayborne of Natchitoches; and from thence they pass by the old situation of the Aadayes to Chichi, and the fountain of Father Gama. An able engineer, M. Lafond, whose map throws much light on these countries, observes, that eight leagues n. from the post of Chichi there are hills abounding in coal, from which a subterraneous noise is heard at a distance like the discharge of artillery. Does this curious phenomenon announce a disengagement of hydrogen produced by a bed of coal in a state of inflammation? From the Adayes the road of Mexico goes by San Antonio de Bejar, Loredo (on the banks of the Rio Grande del Norte), Saltillo, Charcas, San Luis Potosi, and Queretaro, to the capital of New Spain. Two months and a half are required to travel over this vast extent of country, in which, from the left bank of the Rio Grande del Norte to Natchitoches, we continually sleep sub dio. The most remarkable places of the intendancy of San Luis are: the town of this name, Nuevo Santander, Charcas, Catorce, Monterey, Linares, Monclova, San Antonio de Bejar. The population of this intendancy, in 1803, amounted to 334,900 souls; the extent of surface in square leagues was 27,821; the number of inhabitants to the square league being 12.1 POTOSI, SAN LUIS DE, a city and capital of the alcaldía mayor of the province and bishopric of Mechoacán in Nueva España; situate in a level territory. It is of a mild temperature and of modern structure. The streets are wide, proportioned, and straight. It has six magnificent temples; which are, the parish church, the convents of San Francisco, San Augustin, La Merced, San Juan de Dios, the college which belonged to the Jesuits, and an hospital of the bare-footed Carmelites, a late foundation. Its population consists of 16,000 families of Spaniards, Mustees, Mulattoes, and Indians. Its commerce is of the gold and silver extracted from the mountain of San Pedro de Potosi, which is five leagues distant from the city. Hither were brought the metals to be worked; although this business has greatly fallen off from the bad allay of the silver, and from the want of means in the miners to meet the expenses of the labour. Indeed, although the mines are very numerous, and none of them filled with water, there is no one will venture to risk his fortune in the undertaking; and save certain portions of gold and silver extracted from the mine of San Antonio, the inhabitants content themselves with the trade of small necessary articles, and by the slaughter of goats, deriving great emolument from the tallow and the skins which they tan in the yards of the wards of the city; from all of which may be determined the reason of the great decay of the former resources and opulence of this city. [San Luis Potosi is, at present, the residence of the intendant. Its habitual population is 12,000.] It is 177 miles n. by w. of Mexico, in lat. 22° n. long. 100°41' w. The settlements which it comprehends in its jurisdiction are the following: Tequisquiapan, San Miguel, Ntra. Señra de Gua- Sta. Catarina Martin de Rio Verde, La Presentacion, Las Lagunillas, San Juan Tetla, del Nombre de Jesus, Sta. Isabel del Armadillo, San Nicolas, Santa Maria del Rio, San Francisco de Los Pozos. San Miguel Mexquitic, San Pedro de Potosi, POTOSI NUEVO, a settlement of the province and corregimiento of Huarochiri in Peru, close to the settlement of Yauli. It has in it some rich silver mines, which, at the beginning, were worked to great profit, but which are at the present nearly destroyed. POTOSI, another settlement, with the dedicatory title of San Pedro, which is a real of silver mines, in the jurisdiction and alcaldía mayor of its name, of the province and bishopric of Mechoacán in Nueva España. It contains 110 families of Spaniards, Mustees, and Mulattoes, em ployed in the traffic of the metals, and is five leagues e. of its capital. POTOSI, another, in the province and government of Pasto, in the kingdom of Quito. POTOTACA, a settlement of the province and corregimiento of Pilaya and Paspaya in Peru, annexed to the curacy of Paicollo. POTOWMACK, a large river of the province and colony of Virginia, in N. America. POTRE, a river of the province and government of Buenos Ayres; which runs e. and enters the Paroná between those of Conchas and Ana Maria. POTRERO SECO, a settlement of the province and corregimiento of Copiapó in the kingdom of Chile; on the shore of the river Mamas. POTRERO, a valley of this province and kingdom, very fertile and handsome; between the river Castaño and the volcano of Copiapó. POTRERO, a river of the same province and kingdom; which rises in the middle of the narrowest part of the isthmus of Panamá, and afterwards enters the Bayano. POTRO, a river of the province and government of Mainas, of the kingdom of Quito; near the river Cabuapanas. It runs n. e. and empties itself into the Marañon by the s. part, after running 21 leagues, in lat. 4° 44' s. [POTTERS, a township of Pennsylvania, situated on Susquehanna river. See NORTHUMBERLAND COUNTY.] [POTTERSTOWN, in Hunterdon County, New Jersey, is about five miles e. of Lebanon, and about 22 n. w. of New Brunswick.] [POTTSGROVE, a post-town of Pennsylvania, situated on the n. bank of Schuylkill River, 15 miles s. e. of Reading, and 30 n. w. of Philadelphia.] [POUGHKEEPSIE, a post-town of New York, and capital of Dutchess County, delightfully situated a mile from the e. bank of Hudson's River, and contains a number of neat dwellings, a court-house, a church for Presbyterians, one for Episcopalians, and an academy. Here is also a printing-office. It is about 28 miles n. w. of Danbury, in Connecticut, 64 n. of New York City, 61 s. of Albany, and 123 n. e. by n. of Fhiladelphia. The township is bounded s. by Wappinger's Kill, or Creek, and w. by Hudson's River. It contains 2,529 inhabitants, including 429 electors, and 199 slaves.] POULE Cape, a point or extremity of the s. coast of Newfoundland, one of those which form the bay of Trespasscés. [POULTNEY, a small river of Vermont, which falls into E. Bay, together with Castleton River, near Colonel Lyon's iron-works.] [POULTNEY, a considerable and flourishing township of Rutland County, bounded w. by Hampton in New York, which adjoins Skeensburgh on the w. It contains 1121 inhabitants.] POUMARON, a river of the province of Guayana, in the part called Dutch Guayana. It rises in the serrania of Imataca, runs n. e. and enters the sea 107 miles from the mouth Grande or De Hanos Navios of the Orinoco. It is the boundary of Dutch Guayana; is at its mouth half a league wide, and the territory of its shores is low and covered with trees. Its mouth may be entered by large vessels as it is 12, 15, and 18 fathoms deep, increasing gradually to 40 to the distance of five leagues. The e. point which it forms is the Cape of Nassau, and at six leagues from hence the Dutch built upon its shore a fort with the name of Nueva Zelanda; and a little higher up is the settlement of New Middleburg, surrounded with plantations and cultivated lands. The mouth of this river is in lat. 7° 34′ n. long. 58° 47'. [POUNDRIDGE, a township in W. Chester County, New York, bounded s. by the State of Connecticut, e. and n. by Salem, and w. by Bedford and Mahanus River. It contains 1062 free inhabitants, of whom 141 are electors.] POUTEOWATAMIS, a nation of Indians of Canada in N. America, who inhabited the islands in the Lake Huron. The father Claudius Allouz, a Frenchman and a Jesuit, began to reduce them to the Catholic religion, and succeeded in bringing into the fold 300 souls, as they are of a docile nature, and even then venerated a Supreme Being, the author of all created. At present there are two settlements of these Indians: the one is between the lakes Erie and Michigan, on the shore of the river San Joseph, and having built upon it a fort for the French establishment of the commerce of skins with the Indians; and the other by the strait which communicates the lakes Huron and Erie. [POWELL'S Creek, in the State of Tennessee, rises in Powell's Mountain, runs s. w. and enters Clinch River, through its n. bank; 49 miles n. e. of Knoxville. It is said to be navigable in boats 80 miles. From its source to where it enters the Clinches River is not more than 32 miles in direct distance.] [POWHATAN, the ancient name of James River in Virginia.] [POWHATON, a county of Virginia, bounded n. by James River, which separates it from Goochland, and s. by Amelia County. It has its name in honour of the famous Indian king of its name, the father of Pocahontas. It contains It contains 6822 inhabitants, including 4325 slaves. The court-house in the above county is 17 miles from Cartersville, 20 from Cumberland court-house.] [POWLE'S Hook, to the w. of New York, on the Jersey shore. It is a small peninsula, intersected with creeks and salt meadows, but of late has been considerably improved by a company, who have established themselves for the purpose of building a city, which is to become the capital of the State of New Jersey, and intended to rival New York. A few straggling buildings are all that yet appear. It was on this shore that General Hamilton and Colonel Burr evaded the laws of New York, and fought the duel which proved fatal to the former gentleman.] [POWNAL, a flourishing township in the ¡AL, s. w. corner of Vermont, Bennington County, s. of the town of Bennington. It contains 1746 inhabitants. Mount Belcher, a portion of which is within the town of Pownal, stands partly in three of the states, viz. New York, Vermont, and Massachusetts. Mount Anthony, also, one of the most remarkable mountains in Vermont, lies between this and Bennington.] [POWNALBOROUGH, the shire-town of Lincoln County, district of Maine, is situated on the e. of Kennebeck River, and is a place of increasing importance, and contains a Congregational church, and several handsome dwellinghouses. The flourishing port and post-town of Wiscasset is within the township of Pownalborough. This town was incorporated in 1760, and contains in all 2055 inhabitants. It is 13 miles n. of Bath, 36 n. e. of Portland.] [POWOW, a small river of Essex County, Massachusetts, which rises in Kingston in New Hampshire. In its course, which is s. e., it passes over several falls, on which are mills of various kinds, and empties into Merrimack River, seven miles from the sea, between the towns of Salisbury and Amesbury, connected by a convenient bridge, with a draw, across the river. It is navigable a mile from its mouth, and many vessels are built on its banks. See ALMSBURY and SALISBURY.] [POYAIS, a town of N. America, situate on the w. side of Black River, in the province of Honduras, about 110 miles w. n. w. of Secklong, YOL. IV. and 55 s. of Cape Cameron, which forms the n. point of the entrance of the river in the Sea of Honduras.] POYAS, a barbarous and numerous nation of Indians of the kingdom of Chile, in the s. part. Some of these tribes extend as far as the lands and mountains of the Straits of Magellan. The venerable father, Nicolas Mascardi, of the Jesuits, was the first who attempted to reduce these infidels in 1670. POYOGASTA, a settlement of the province and government of Tucumán in Peru; belonging to the jurisdiction of the city of Salta, and annexed to the curacy of the settlement of Chiquiana. POZIGUAI, a small province, comprehended now in that of Santa Marta, of the Nuevo Reyno de Granada. It is very fertile in maize, but scantily inhabited, owing to its climate, which is hot and sickly. It has some gold and copper mines, which are not worked. POZO, a settlement of the province and government of Antioquia, in the Nuevo Reyno de Granada, on the shore of the abundant river Cauca, in the valley of its name, and e. of the city of Anserma. POZOLTEPEC, a settlement of the head settlement of the district and alcaldía mayor of Zultepec in Nueva Espana. It contains 160 families of Indians, who maintain themselves by the commerce of salt and some seeds, and making mats of palm trees, and spinning cotton. Seven leagues's. of its capital. POZOS, SAN FRANCISCO DE LOS, a settlement and real of mines, of the alcaldía mayor of Potosí in the province and bishopric of Mechoacán. It is the head settlement of the district, and contains 320 families of Spaniards, Mustees, and Mulattoes, who are engaged in buying silver from the mines of the mountain of San Pedro, and in carrying it away to found it in the places established for this purpose; although they have other estates wherein to breed cattle and raise seed. Three leagues s. of the capital. POZUELOS, a settlement of the province of Barcelona, and government of Cumaná, at the division of the limits of the one and the other; on the coast. POZUTLA, a settlement of the head settlement of the district, and alcaldía mayor of Azuchitlan in Nueva España. It is of a hot temperature; situate in a plain, on the shore of the river which flows down from the real of mines of F F |