that meander in the mountainous chain empty themselves BOOK into the sea, and run from south to north, while those that LXXXVII. take their rise on the southern aspect of the mountain flow along the whole plain, and fall into the Oronoko. The former, in general, are sufficiently embanked by nature, and have such a declivity as to secure them from often overflowing; or, when these inundations do take place, prevent them from their being either long or prejudicial. The latter, however, having shallower beds, and gliding through a more uniform surface of country, intermingle their waters together during a great part of the year, at which time. they rather resemble a sea, than rivers that have overflowed their banks. The tide, which is very little felt along the whole north coast, from Cape La Vela, to Cape Paria, becomes very strong from this latter cape to Dutch Guiana. A great inconvenience, common to all the ports of the provinces of Caraccas, arises from its being continually exposed to the conflict of the tides, and to boisterous waves, which do not appear to be ever occasioned by the wind, but which are not therefore the less inconvenient nor the less dangerous. The northern valleys are the most productive parts of Cultivathis province, because it is there that the heat and moisture tion. are more equally combined than elsewhere. The southern plains, too much exposed to the heat of the sun, produce pasture only, in which they rear cattle, mules, and horses. Cultivation ought to be very flourishing in these provinces, where there are no mines; but its progress is retarded from indolence and want of information. The cocoa which they produce, is next to that of Sonocusco in the kingdom of Guatimala, the most esteemed in commerce; it is exported principally from Mexico. The plantations of cocoa Cocoa, &c. nut trees are all of them found to the north of the chain of mountains which coasts the sea. In the interior, indigo, which is of a very good quality, has only been cultivated since 1774. It was at the same epoch that they commenced the culture of cotton. In 1734, it was proposed to rear the coffee plant, for the purpose of trade: BOOK but, up to the present day, these neglected plantations LXXXVII. have afforded very moderate crops. The sugars can only yet be classed in the second rank; nevertheless, they are made in considerable quantity. All their produce, however, is consumed in the country; for the Spaniards are passionately fond of confectionary, and of every kind of Commerce. food that admits of sugar. Tobacco is excellent. but the laws interfere with its cultivation. The commerce of the Caraccas has undergone the same changes as that of the other colonies of Spain. Smuggling, which was carried on by the Dutch, who were settled in the island of Curaçoa, induced the Spanish government to establish in 1728, the company of Gaipuscoa, which had the privilege of sending ships to Caraccas, and engaged to make vessels cruise along the coast, in order to prevent this contraband trade. After various modifications, this company was finally suppressed in 1778, and liberty was restored to commerce. The exportations of Caraccas are estimated at from L.1,041,666, to L.1,250,000 Sterling, including the contraband trade, which is encouraged by many ports.* Principal towns. The capital of the government is Caraccas, the residence of the governor-general, the audience, intendency, consulate, and Archbishop of Venezuela. Before the last earthquake, it contained 42,000 inhabitants. Built in a valley, on very uneven ground, and watered by four small rivers, it possessed, nevertheless, very regular streets, and handsome houses. The temperature of this town does not at all correspond with its latitude; the inhabitants enjoy almost one perpetual spring. It owes this advantage to its elevation, which amounts to 3000 feet above the level of the sea. La Guayra, at the distance of five leagues, is the port of Caraccas. The sea here is fully as boisterous as the air is hot and unhealthy. We must not omit to take notice of Porto Cavello, a town of some trade, situated on the sea-shore, in the middle of marshes, which render Dansion Lavaysse, Voyage to Venezuela, II. p. 461. Humboldt, New Spain, IV. p. 472. The Edinburgh Gazette gives this amount exclusive of Contraband. the air unhealthy. Valencia is a flourishing city, situated BOOK in the midst of a fertile and salubrious plain, half a league LXXXVII. from a lake of the same name. Coro, the ancient capital, is built near the sea, on an arid and sandy plain. Cumana, a town of 28,000 inhabitants, and the centre of a separate government, is situated on a dry and sandy flat shore, where the air is healthy, although burning hot; but the inhabitants are deterred from raising any extensive edifices, in consequence of the frequency of earthquakes. New Barcelona is a dirty town, in the middle of an uncultivated country; but the soil is excellent. We must also notice Maracaibo, the seat of government, built on a sandy territory, on the left bank of a lake of the same name, six leagues from the sea. The air is excessively hot; yet, a residence there is by no means unhealthy. Its inhabitants, in general, are good sailors and soldiers; those who do not pursue a seafaring life, employ themselves in rearing cattle, with which their country is covered. Their country houses are at Gibraltar, on the farther bank of the lake.* At the upper end of this lake is situated Merida, a small town, the inhabitants of which, exceedingly active and industrious, possess the best cultivated and most productive territory of the whole province. Truxillo was once a magnificent town, but was ravaged by the Buccaneers. Varinas is the chief place of a government, which, in 1787, was detached from that of Maracaibo. The best tobacco met with in commerce is cultivated here. rita. The island of Margarita, containing the town of Ascen- The island sion, and the harbour of Pampatar, is dry, but healthy. of MargaInstead of pearls, however, from the fishery of which it' originally derived its name, its waters now furnish an immense quantity of fish. Before the last revolutions, the population of the go- Populavernment of Caraccas was estimated at nearly a million of tion individuals, of which 200,000 were Spaniards, 450,000 free people of colour, 60,000 slaves, and 280,000 In Spaniards. BOOK dians. A very haughty nobility took its rise among the LXXXVII. Spanish population; but this noblesse was itself divided into two portions, of which one part boasted of a purer descent than the other. Almost all the Spaniards here are Creoles. The principal part of those Spaniards who quit their native country, impelled by the national passion for mining, proceed to Mexico or Peru. They disdain the provinces of Caraccas, for to those who are only anxious to discover gold in the earth, this country has no attraction to offer, but the slow, periodical, and varied productions of a soil which demands both labour and patience. These Creoles esteem no country more highly than their own, and recognise with reluctance their original descent from old Spain. Strangers experience so many difficulties in passing to the Spanish colonies, and, when established there, encounter so many disagreeable circumstances, that they are far from numerous. Nevertheless, the promontory of Paria has become the asylum of a small colony of French and Irish, who lead a patriarchal life, under the shade of their cocoa-nut trees.* The people of colour ardently long for independence; and, when warranted by the law of retaliation, have wreaked the most frightful vengeance on the whites. The Zambos, or descendants of Indians and negroes, the most barbarous and immoral of all the people of colour, about half a century since, obtained the right of citizenship in the town of Nirgua, from which, by their incessant troublesomeness, they have successively driven away all the whites. French colony. Army. The armed force consisted of 6558 troops, comprising artillery and militia. The total amount of taxes came to Revenue. nearly 250,000 pounds Sterling. This sum, however, was rarely sufficient to defray the expenses. Description We have reserved till now the description of that part of of Spanish Guiana which belongs to the Spaniards, and depends on the Caraccas. This tract of country has an extent of more than Guiana. * Danxion Lavaysse, Voyage II. 137–313. + See Humboldt's Personal Narrative; English Translation, IV. 123. 400 leagues in length, from the mouths of the Oronoko to BOOK the confines of Brazil. Its breadth in many places is ful- LXXXVII. ly 150 leagues. The population is very thinly scattered over this immense surface; 20,000 of the Indians are under the government of missionaries. This province is divided into higher and lower Oronoko. The governor and bishop reside at San Thome de l'Angostura, a town built in 1586, on the right bank of the river, at fifty leagues from its mouth; but since that time it has been removed to a distance of ninety leagues from the sea. The streets are straight and paved. During the great heats the inhabitants sleep on the terraces of their houses, without, however, the dew proving injurious either to their health or sight. The old town of San Thomé is excessively unhealthy. The land in Guiana, particularly adapted to Producthe cultivation of tobacco, presents only a small number of tions. ill constructed houses, where the proprietors manufacture a little cotton and sugar, and the provisions of the country. They export a considerable number of cattle. This province, destined to become of great importance by its fertility, as well as its position, will be chiefly indebted for it to the Oronoko. We have already described the course of this river, whose tributary streams, more than Importance 300 in number, are so many canals which will bring to Guiana all the riches that the interior can produce. Its communication with the river Amazon, by means of several navigable branches, along which, M. de Humboldt himself has proceeded, adds to the advantages which it may procure for Guiana, by facilitating its commercial relations with Brazil, and the interior of the new continent. The English, always influenced by an enlightened activity, are aware of the importance of this river, and have established military posts in some of the islands at its mouth, from which they protect the cutting of dyewoods, and keep up a connection with the Guaranos In * Leblond's Treatise on the Yellow Fever, p. 141. To the new town, where be resided six months, he gives the shorter name of Angostura. of the Oronoko. |