arrows. tensive country takes its name from the numerous nation of Indians who inhabit it, and was conquered in 1618 by General Don Diego Vaca de Vega, who was its first governor. In 1638, it was visited, for the purpose of shedding the light of the gospel, by the Fathers Gaspar, Cuxia, and Lucas de la Cueva, of the society of the Jesuits, who established some very flourishing missions on both shores of the river Marañon. Indeed these missions continued to do infinite good, until the time of the abolition of the order in 1767. In 1635, an insurrection occurred amongst these Mainas Indians, of the city of San Francisco de Borja, but they were again pacified, and once more reduced to a civilized life, through the unabating exertions of the aforesaid missionaries. These Indians are very idle, and inclined to drunkenness, dishonesty, and superstition. They wander naked through the woods, and maintain themselves by fishing and the chase, using for their weapons bows and After these were reduced to the faith and the dominion of the crown of Castille, several other barbarous nations were discovered, who being equally converted by the regulars of the company of Jesuits, formed the missions commonly called De Mainas, which extended from the Pongo or strait of Manseriche, upon the w. shore of the Marañon, as far as the settlement of Loreto de Ticunas, and s. as far as the river Yavari, in lat. 2° 4′, occupying a space of 268 leagues from e. to w. The climate is very hot and moist, and the territory consists entirely of woods, marshes, lakes, and rivers. The productions are white and black wax, cacao, and zarzaparilla; and only in some of the llanuras is there grown grain for the subsistence of the inhabitants. In this province is the renowned meridian, or line of demarcation, drawn by the Pontiff Alexander VI. between the dominion of the kings of Spain and Portugal, a subject which had hitherto caused so much litigation between these two crowns. The capital of this proThe capital of this province was formerly the city of San Francisco de Borja, but since the time that this was almost entirely destroyed, this honour has been conferred upon the town of La Laguna; where resides the superior of the missions, as also the governor, when he goes down from Quito upon his visitation. The other settlements founded by the missions are as follows: S. Xavier de Chamicuro, Aguanos, Nuestra Señora de las Nieves de Yurima guas, S. Antonio de Padua, S. Joaquin de la Grande Omagua, S. Pablo Apóstol de Napeanos, S. Felipe de Amaonas, S. Ignacio de Pevas y S. Francisco Regis del Santa Teresa de Mainas. Series of the Governors of Mainas. 1. Don Diego Vaca de Vega, conqueror of the province. 2. Don Pedro Vaca de la Cadena. 3. Don Martin de la Riva. 4. Don Juan Mauricio de Vaca. 6. Don Antonio Sanchez de Orellana. 8. Don Joseph de Lizarzaburu. 11. Don Antonio Mena y Bermudez. [MAINE, District of, belonging to Massachu setts, is situated between lat. 43° and 45° 50' n. and between long. 66° 37′ and 71° w.; bounded n. by Lower Canada, e. by the province of New Brunswick, s. by the Atlantic ocean, w. by New Hampshire. The district of Maine is in length, on an average, 200 miles, and its average breadth 120 miles; containing 40,000 square miles, or 25,600,000 acres. It is divided into five counties, viz. York, Cumberland, Lincoln, Hancock, and Washington: these are subdivided into near 200 incorporated townships and plantations; inhabited by 96,540 free people. The chief towns are Portland, the metropolis of the district of Maine, York, Pownalborough, and Wiscasset, Hallowell, Bath, Waldoborough, Penobscot, and Machias. The last mentioned is the only incorporated town in Washington county, the other settlements being only plantations. The chief rivers are Penobscot, 31 Kennebeck, Saco, Androscoggin, St. Croix, &c. besides a vast number of small rivers. The most noted lakes are Moosehead, Scoodic, and Sebacook. The chief bays are those of Casco, Penobscot, Machias, Saco, and Passamaquoddy. The most remarkable capes are those of Neddock, Porpoise, Elizabeth, Small point, Pemaquid, and Petit Manan. The district of Maine, though an elevated tract of country, cannot be called mountainous. A great proportion of the lands are arable and exceedingly fertile, particularly between Penobscot and Kennebeck rivers. On some parts of the seacoast, the lands are but indifferent. The lands in this district may be considered in three divisions; the first, comprehending the tract lying e. of Penobscot river, of about 4,500,000 acres; the second, and best tract, of about 4,000,000 acres, lying between Penobscot and Kennebeck rivers; the third, first settled and most populous at present, w. of Kennebeck river, containing also about 4,000,000 acres. The soil of this country in general, where it is properly fitted to receive the seed, appears to be very friendly to the growth of wheat, rye, barley, oats, peas, hemp, and flax, as well as for the production of almost all kinds of culinary roots and plants, and for English grass; and also for Indian corn, especially if the seed be procured from a more n. climate. Hops are the spontaneous growth of this country; and it is also uncommonly good for grazing, and large stocks of neat cattle be fed both summer and winter. The natural growth of this district consists of white pine and spruce trees in large quantities, suitable for masts, boards, and shingles; maple, beech, white and grey oak, and yellow birch. The low lands produce fir, which is neither fit for timber nor fuel, but yields a balsam that is highly prized. Almost the whole coast n. e. of Portland is lined with islands, among which vessels may generally anchor with safety. may The principal exports of this country are various kinds of lumber, as pine boards, ship timber, and every species of split lumber manufactured from pine and oak; these are exported from the various ports in immense quantities. A spirit of improvement is increasing here. A charter for a college has been granted by the legislature, and five academies incorporated and endowed with handsome grants of public lands. Town schools are generally maintained in most of the towns. The commonwealth of Massachusetts possess between eight and nine million acres in this district, independent of what they have sold or contracted to sell, which bring into the treasury the net sum of 269,005. 8s. 7d. currency; and besides about two million acres between St. Croix and Passamaquoddy in dispute between the United States and the British nation. Exclusive of the lands sold, about $85,000 acres have been granted for the encouragement of literature, and other useful and humane purposes. Attempts were made to settle this country as early as 1607, on the w. side of Kennebeck river; but they proved unsuccessful, and were not repeated till between 1620 and 1630. In 1635, the w. part of it was granted to Ferdinando Gorges by the Plymouth company, and he first instituted a government in this province. In 1652, this province came under the jurisdiction of Massachusetts, and was, by charter, incorporated with it in 1691. Its population has been always increasing greatly; and in the census of 1810, it numbered 228,705 souls.] MAIPO, a settlement of the province and corregimiento of Rancagua in the kingdom of Chile. It contains six vice-parishes, and in the district of its cordillera are the renowned silver mines of Copavana, San Simon, and San Pedro Nolasco, which yielded at their first being worked 500 marks each caxon: at present they only render from 20 to 40, and indeed they cannot be worked all the year round. Here is also a copper mine; and the settlement is near the lake of Aculéo. MAIPO, a river of this province and kingdom. It is large, and notorious from the number of persons who have been drowned in it. It rises from the lake Pudaquill, and runs with such force, that at the time of its overflows, no bridge can be found to resist the impetuosity of the current: accord. ingly the only bridge used is made of ropes, very strong and tightly knit together. The waters of this river are very thick, and entering as it does into the sea with great violence, it causes the latter to retire as it were a considerable distance from its mouth; leaving a very visible circle or line of demarcation between its own waters and those of the sea. Its waters are very cold, and do not allay thirst, owing to their being impregnated with particles of salt. This quality, however, renders very delicate, and in high estimation, the flesh of the sheep that feed upon its banks. It abounds in very dainty fish, and particularly in trout. It enters the Pacific or S. sea, in lat. 33° 43′ 2′′ s. MAIPO, a volcano in the same province and kingdom. MAIPURES, SANTA TERESA DE, a settlement of the province and government of San Juan de los Llanos in the Nuevo Reyno de Granada; situate on the shore of the river Orinoco, and of another river, called Tuparro, which enters the same. MAIPURES, another settlement, with the dedicatory title of San Fernando, in the province and government of La Guayana; founded by the chief of the squadron, Don Joseph de Iturriaga, who gave it this name out of respect to King Don Fernando VI. who then reigned in Spain. Although it was honoured also with the title of city, it flourished so little, and is at the present day such a miserable village, as ill to become the name. MAIPUROG, a river of the province and country of Las Amazonas. It runs into the sea close to the cape Del Norte.. MAIQUITIA, a settlement of the province and government of Venezuela; situate on the n. coast of the city of Caracas, and to the e. of La Guaira. MAIRA, Strait of, a channel which leads from the N. to the S. sea, between La Tierra del Fuego and the island of Los Estados. It is also called Strait of St. Vincent, and took the former name from James le Maire, a Fleming, who discovered it in 1616, sailing in the ship Concord with William Cornelius Schouten, John Theodore Hornan, Conrade Theodore Oosterblocker, Nicholas Peter Oosthyse, and Cornelius Kinnerser, all companions and equally concerned in the fitting out of the said vessel. This strait was afterwards discovered by Bartolomé and Gonzalo Garcia Nodal in 1618, Juan de Mora in 1619, and Jacob Heremite Clerk in 1624. It is eight leagues long, and its currents are very violent. It has become the common pass for entering into the S. sea, ever since it was discovered, being a shorter route than that through the straits of Magellan. The cape of San Diego, which is at its entrance, stands in lat. 54° 42' s. and the centre of the strait is in 54° 52'. MAIRENE, a river of the province and government of San Juan de los Llanos in the Nuevo Reyno de Granada, of the district of the city of Santiago de la Atalaya, and enters the Meta. MAISON, FRANCOISE, a settlement of New France or Canada, in the territory of the Nekoubanistes Indians; situate on the shore of the lake of San Pedro. MAISY, Cape, the e. extremity of the island of Cuba, 135 leagues from the point of Hicacos, and 15 from Hispañola or St. Domingo. It is in lat. 20° 20′, and long. 301° 22′. MAITEN, a fountain of the province and corregimiento of Santiago in the kingdom of Chile, much celebrated for its delicate and wholesome waters, which gush out cold during the hottest seasons. It has this name from a tree that is thus called, and which, amongst many others of the same kind, grows here just at the foot of a large table formed of the living rock, which is made use of as such by the numerous visitors who come from the city of Santiago, and are accustomed to take a collation here; the same tree forming an arbour, for its bows spreading very widely is capable of shadowing many persons; morcover it is green all the year round. At the foot of this tree passes the stream of the fountain, which takes its rise at a small distance higher up from a cleft rock; from whence it winds its course through shady woods, and banks covered with a variety of herbs and flowers. MAIZ, VALLE DEL, a settlement of Indians, converted by the missions that are held by the religious order of San Francisco, in the district of the alcaldía mayor of Guadalcazar in the province and bishopric of Mechoacan, and kingdom of Nueva España. It contains 107 inhabitants of Spaniards, Mustees, and Mulattoes, and 1123 of Indians, who for the most part live out of the settlement, in small farms which they have upon the mountains. It is 22 leagues from Tula, which is the capital of the missions. MAIZ, another settlement, in the head settlement of the district of Tamazunchale, and alcaldía mayor of Valles, in the same kingdom; situate on the bank of a large stream, which divides this jurisdiction from that of Guadalcazar, in one of the valleys of Ostilipac, and at the entrance of a narrow defile. Its population consists of 29 families of Indians, and 150 of Spaniards, Mustees, and Mulattoes. The temperature is cold, and nothing is cultivated but maize. The plough is used here, which is not the case in any other of the settlements. In its vicinity dwell upwards of 600 families of Pames Indians, who admit only the sacraments of baptism and matrimony. Besides these, are 29 other families who dwell upon the said mountains, where they are in want of water and every other necessary, and causing a general surprise as to the manner by which they can possibly sustain themselves. It is 26 leagues from its head settlement. [MAJABAGADUCE, in the district of Maine, at the mouth of Penobscot river, on the e. side.] MAJADILLA, a settlement of the province and government of Tucumán in Peru; situate on the shore and at the source of a river which enters the Dulce. MAJAGUA, a settlement of the province and government of Antioquía in the Nuevo Reyno de Granada; situate on the shore of the river Cauca, and on an island formed by this river. MAJATES, a settlement of the province and government of Cartagena in the Nuevo Reyno de Granada. Near it is an estate of the same name. It formerly belonged to the Jesuits, and here it was that a certain Negro woman, a servant of the college, who up to the year 1738 had brought forth seven times, after having had intercourse with other Negroes, produced seven other children completely white, and with hair curly like the Negroes, but of a yellow colour. The Marquis of Villahermosa, who was governor of that place, brought to this court, in 1739, a woman of the same fair character and features, Doña Maria Bejarano, wife of Don Dimisio de Alcedo, who was president of the royal audience of Quito, one of the ancestors of the author of this dictionary. This settlement is 12 leagnes to the n. of its capital. MAJIS, a settlement of the province and captainship of S. Vicente in Brazil; situate on the shore and at the source of the river Paraiba del Sur. [MAKEFIELD, UPPER and LowER, townships in Buck's county, Pennsylvania.] MALA, SAN PEDRO DE, a settlement of the province and corregimiento of Cañete in Peru; situate in a beautiful valley of the same name, celebrated from the differences between Francisco Pizarro and Diego de Almagro having been adjusted here, as well as by its abundance of saltpetre, and the method used for its purification; the same being taken to Lima for making gunpowder. MALA, a river of this province and kingdom. It rises in the province of Yauyos, runs w. and enters the sea near the former settlement. MALA, a point or extremity of the coast of the province and government of Veragua in the kingdom of Tierra Firme, where there is a shoal or string of rocks, which runs two leagues into the S. sea. MALA, another, in the bay of Panamá, of the same kingdom, at a small distance from this city. One of the two which form the bay of the Rio Grande. [MALABAR, Cape, or SANDY Point, a narrow strip of land projecting out from the s. e. part of cape Cod, in Massachusetts. Lat. 41° 39′ n. Long. 69° 55' w. MALABRIGO, a port of the S. sea, in the province and corregimiento of Truxillo, and kingdom of Peru. It is bad, small, and unsecure, as its name denotes; being exposed to all the winds, and consequently frequented only by vessels that are driven into it by stress of weather. It is also called Puerto Seco, or Dry Port. At its entrance is a mountain, which is called Morro de Malabrigo. It is 14 leagues to the n. e. of the port of Guan. chaco, and 11 from Cherrepe, in lat. 7° 48′ s. MALABRIGO, a small river of the province and government of Buenos Ayres. It runs into the lake Cristal, and enters the Rio de la Plata. MALA-CARA, BAJOS DE, some shoals on the coast of the province and corregimiento of Quillot in the kingdom of Chile. They lie between the port of Herradura and that of Pichicay. MALACATEPEC, SANTIAGO DE, a settlement and head settlement of the district of the alcaldía mayor of Nexapa in Nueva España. It is of a cold temperature, and contains 32 families of Indians. MALACATEPEC, another settlement, with the dedicatory title of La Asumpcion. It is the head of the district of the alcaldía mayor of Metepec in Nueva España. It contains 1779 families of Indians, including those who live in the wards of its district. MALACATEPEQUE, SANTA MARIA DE, a ΤΕΡΙ settlement of the head settlement of the district of San Andres de Cholula, and alcaldía mayor of this name, in Nueva España. It contains 120 families of Indians, and is two leagues s. of its capital. MALACATOS, a settlement of Indians, of the province and corregimiento of Loxa in the kingdom of Quito. It is situate on the n. shore of the river of its name, in a pleasant and cheerful spot. Its climate is hot, and it abounds in exquisite fruits, amongst which the chirimoya is held in high estimation, and which thrives here better than in any other part. It produces also much sugar-cane, and has large breeds of cattle, owing to the richness of its pastures. In the state of Santa Ana, which is one league to the s. is a rich silver-mine, which is not worked through want of hands and money. This settlement is seven leagues from Loxa, in lat. 4° 12′ 27′′ s. MÁLAGA, a city of the province of Chitareros in the Nuevo Reyno de Granada; situate near the river Tequia. It was founded by Geronimo de Aguado in 1541, but was soon destroyed by the Indians. MALAGUAS, a barbarous nation of Indians, of the province and government of Esmeraldas in the kingdom of Quito. After the conquest they rebelled about the middle of the last century, (1700), and in the following betook themselves to the woods, where they live like wild beasts, be tween the rivers Tululvi to the s. e. Bogotá to the s. and s. w. Motaje to the w. and n. w. Puespi to the n. Mira to the n. e. and Camunixi to the e. Very little is known of these barbarians. MALAGUETA, a port of the island of Cuba, on the n. coast, between the port of Manati and the point Del Padre. MALALHUE, a settlement of Indians, of the district of Guadalabquen in the kingdom of Chile; situate to the n. of one of the lakes of Huanahué. MALAMBITO, BARRANCO DE, a settlement of the province and government of Cartagena in the Nuevo Reyno de Granada; situate on the shore of the Rio Grande de la Magdalena, in an island which this forms with the waters of the Dique, in lat. 10° 42′ n. MALAMBO, a settlement of the same province and kingdom as the former; situate in the royal road which leads down to the Rio de la Magda lena. It is very small and poor, in lat. 10° 21' n. MALAMBOS, a nation of Indians, of the same province and kingdom as are the former settlements. These barbarians formerly extended themselves as far as the mouth of the Rio Grande de la Magdalena. At present they do not exist at all, and their name is preserved only in the afore said settlements. MALAMINICAN, a river of the province and government of Louisiana in N. America. It rises from the lakes of Los Outaouaces, runs w. and turning to the s. . unites itself with the Vieux Deserts to enter the Mississippi. MALBALA, a barbarous nation of Indians, of the province of Chaco in Peru, who dwelt upon the shores of the Rio Grande. They are well featured and of a good size; they go naked, but are less brutal than others, since they cover the parts of shame with hides made of chaguar; the women also covering the whole of the body with a sort of cloak. Until they marry, the women are very tolerable to behold, for before this they are not allowed to paint themselves. The manner of painting their faces is by straight blue lines drawn from the forehead down to the chin, and the men will form squares, crosses, and other figures, in painting themselves. These may only have one wife; and the bridegroom is required to solicit the hand of his intended from her parents, and gains her, having first received all their consents separately. The men and women are mutually regardful of fidelity to each other; and should the woman commit adultery, she is severely and publicly chastised by her own relations. The widows who will not marry again, become public strumpets, and after this their character is looked upon as completely lost, and no one would think of taking them to wife. The hair is accustomed to be worn flowing down to the shoulders; but the widows, by way of mourning, have it much longer; and they further shew their sorrow by not admitting it to be cut, and also by abstaining from fish as long as their widowhood may last. These Indians use the same arms as do the other nations, excepting that the dart may be carried solely by the caciques and captains. They have a war declared against all the other nations, and profess a union and friendship with no others than the Chinupies and the Velelas. They have nothing to do with agriculture, but subsist entirely by fishing and the chase. They have some breeds of sheep, not for the purpose of eating the flesh, but for profiting by the wool; of which they make belts, dyed red and adorned with spangles of little shells: these they put upon their heads as diadems, and, adorning their waists with plumes of various colours, they, thus decked, celebrate their festivals and drunken entertainments. Then it is they assert that the devil is accustomed to appear, though only to the oldest drunkards, in the dress of a Spaniard, when he is so good as to reveal to them future events. They, nevertheless, have no kind of religious observance, being entirely atheists; and being fully persuaded that, when they die, all is finished. They are yet very superstitious, and believe that the singing of birds, the howling of dogs, &c. are prognostics of either good or evil that will await them; and by these they uniformly direct their actions. The warriors are interred standing, but others in a recumbent posture. Like the other Indians, these do not put into the grave of the defunct eatables, &c. ; but they abstain from touching the arms of those who die in war, as well as from passing the place where their misfortune happened, considering it a bad augury so to do. They celebrate in the dawn of many days successvely the exequies of the defunct with great howlings and lamentations, and after this he is no more remembered. Amongst these Indians are found some caciques, whose names have a strong resem blance to the Judean names, such as Jonais, Jonapain, Jonastete, and Jonaiso; and from thence some have endeavoured to prove the population of America from the Hebrews. The governor of Tucumán, Don Esteban de Urizar, made a peace with these Indians, and obtained that they should come to Buenos Ayres to be instructed in the Catholic faith; but we find, that passing through the city of Santiago del Estero, they rose against the Spaniards, put many to death, and returned to their territory: the greater part, however, settled at Buenos Ayres. The Father Pedro Lozano, of the |