number amounts to 3200. In fact, the whites have insensibly withdrawn themselves. They now count no more than four or five families, who would deem themselves exceedingly happy, if their colour enjoyed there the same respect as that of black or copper.

Its environs are fertile, but the air is unwholesome. Even the natives of the place are frequently attacked by acute disorders that terminate in death.

20. The Bay of OCUMARA, five leagues east of Porto Cavello, is a very good port, and well sheltered. Its moorings are excellent. The port is defended on the east by a battery mounting eight pieces of cannon of the calibre of 8 or 12. The village of Ocumara is at the distance of one league from the port. It is watered by a river of the same name, which, after fertilizing its valleys, discharges itself into the same bay at the bottom of the fort.

Between the Bay of Ocumara and that of Guayra are several small ports, where the inhabitants of that coast ship their commodities for Guayra or Porto Cavello; but none of those ports are of sufficient importance to entitle them to notice in this description.

Between Guayra and Cape Codera, separated by a space of twenty-five leagues, are found seventeen rivers, which, at equal dis tances, empty themselves into the sea. Upon

their respective banks is a great number of cacao and sugar plantations.

Before we come to Cape Codera, we meet with a port tolerably good for small craft. Its name is PORT FRANCIS. From this port the neighbouring inhabitants ship their commodities; and indeed it does not appear to be calculated for any other use.

From Cape Codera, the coast runs to the south-east. At the distance of three leagues is the small port of AIGUEROTA, which is nothing superior to Port Francis. Like it, it is used only for shipping the commodities of the neighbouring plantations.

Besides the above, there are several other smaller towns, and some very large villages, in this government, which are too numerous to describe. We may here, however, mention, that in the valleys of Aragua, in particular, are those of Gagoa, Mamon (formerly El Consejo), Escobar, and Magdalena. The first has a population of five thousand two hundred persons; the second, of three thousand; the third, of five thousand four hundred; and the fourth, of two thousand seven hundred.

In 1807, the population of these valleys was distributed on two hundred and thirty-seven plantations, and nearly two thousand houses in towns or villages. It consisted of—

Total

24,000 whites

18,000 mixed blood

6,500 Indians

4,000 Negroes

52,500 persons,

on a space of ground thirteen leagues long and two wide. This is a relative population of two thousand souls on a square league, which equals almost that of the most populous parts of France.

Such is the description of the principal towns in the province of Venezuela and of their territories. The population of those towns, as has been seen, is not composed, as those of the greater part of Europe which are most essentially commercial or manufacturing, of proprietors and annuitants who do nothing more than spend their revenues, and of traders. The inhabitants of those towns and villages of Venezuela are generally farmers, who cultivate their lands, or keep numerous flocks and herds in the surrounding countries; priests, physicians, escrivanos, (lawyers, who are at the same time barristers, notaries, attornies, and even bailiffs), and a few shop-keepers, form the remainder of the population. There are nothing but forests and natural meadows (savannahs) in the intervals that separate the territory of a town or village from the neighbouring towns or villages, which are generally ten or fifteen leagues from

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each other. There are also found occasionally, usually at ten leagues distance, missions or villages of half civilized Indians.

SECTION IV.

PROVINCES OF NEW ANDALUSIA AND
NEW BARCELONA.

UNDER the name of the government of Cumana, New Andalusia usually includes the adjacent province of New Barcelona. We shall, therefore, describe these two under the same head, mentioning, however, the distinct boundaries of each.

New Andalusia is bounded, on the north, by the Caribbean Sea; on the east, by the Atlantic Ocean; on the west, by Barcelona; and on the south, by Spanish Guiana, or the river Orinoco.

New Barcelona is limited, on the north, by the Caribbean Sea; on the east, by Cumana; on the west, by Venezuela, or Caracas Proper; and on the south, by Guiana and the Orinoco.

Thus the government of Cumana, in its widest extent, is bounded on the north and to the east, by the sea; on the west, by the river Unara; and on the south, by the river Orinoco, except on those parts where the left

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bank of this river is inhabited. The jurisdiction of the governor of Guiana extends, or did extend, to within cannon-shot of the establishments situate to the north of the Orinoco.

It is not well known how Barcelona, with its dependencies, was able to obtain the character of a province, having never had particular governors. Since it has been conquered from the Indians, it has constantly made a part of the government of Cumana.

The great extent of the territory of Cumana, and its being washed on two of its sides by the ocean, and by the broad expanse of the Orinoco on the third, render it one of the most important governments of Caracas.

The province of Cumana is extremely mountainous; the first branch from the main chain of the Andes running through that district, and terminating in the ocean at the Gulf of Paria.

This ridge gives birth to the rivers which flow into the Orinoco on the south, and into the Caribbean Sea on the north, and contains some highly picturesque and singular scenery.

The rivers of Cumana which fall into the Caribbean Sea, beginning from the west, are chiefly the following:

The Unara bounds the provinces of Venezuela and Barcelona. It is navigable for six leagues from the sea, as far as the village of San Antonio de Clarinas. Its whole course