South America

Sources from old books

1635. Historia mundi: or Mercator's atlas. London. by Gerhard Mercator.

SOutherne America or Pervana followeth, betweene which and new Spaine there is a Neck of Land or Isthmus which is 18.* 1.1 miles broad. Which keepeth the Country Pervana from being an Iland: and it is called the Province Dariena, from the great River Dariene. Moreover all Southerne America hath the forme of a Pyramis being broad beneath,* 1.2 and sharp toward the top, the Base whereof is neere the Isthmus Northward, the top thereof doth lesson by degrees like a Wedge even to the Straits of Magellan toward the Southerne Pole, and so endeth in a sharp point. The parts of it are many: but these 5. are the chiefe: Castella aurea, Popajana, Peruvia, Chile, and Brasilia, Castell aurea, or Castiglia del oro, was so called from the great store of Gold which it hath. It is situated by the Isthmus, which joyneth the Southerne part of America to the Northerne. The breadth of the Isthmus is 73. miles. But this part of Land is but little inhabited, in regard of the intemperatenesse of the ayre and Marshes, or standing waters. And it hath no Corne, but they gather their Maiz twice or thrice a yeere. It hath two Citties Nombre de dios by Mare dael Nort, or the North Sea, and Panama by Mare del Sur, or the South Sea. It hath Gold-bearing Rivers, and Mines of Gold, whence great store of Gold is gotten.

The Country Popayana beginneth from the North side at the Citty Antioch, and endeth on the South side at the Citty Quinto. Therefore it is bounderd on the North with Castella aurea, from which it is separate by the Citty Antioch. On the South it bordereth on the Country Pervana, and is parted from thence by the Citty Quinto: on the East it is bounderd with the Kingdome of New Granada, and the Country Pervana, which beginneuh from thence Eastward. On the West it hath the Southerne Sea. This Country is full of high rugged Mountaines.