Spanish America, Vol. 2 (of 2)Bonnycastle, Richard Henry, Sir
History
Spanish America, Vol. 2 (of 2)
Bonnycastle, Richard Henry, Sir
Latin America -- Description and travel; Latin America -- History
_Ocumara_, though only a village, is celebrated for having a very fine
port, the entrance to which has a battery for eight pieces of cannon.
Ocumara is five leagues east of Porto Cabello; the port is excellent
and well sheltered, with fine moorings. The village is about a league
distant from the anchoring place on a small river of the same name,
which, after fertilizing a fine valley, enters the sea at the foot of
the fort. Between this bay and La Guayra are the bays of _Choroni_,
_Puerto_, _La Cruz_, _Los Arecifes_ and _Catia_, and between Ocumara,
or Seinega de Ocumara are the bays of _Turiamo_, _Burburata_, and
_Paranego_, from all of which the inhabitants of the coasts export
their produce to La Guayra, Porto Cavello, or the West Indies, as
each of these afford fine anchoring places for vessels. In the bay of
Burburata there is a village, formerly a place of consequence, but
principally of note for the number of mules which it exports.
_San Carlos_ was formerly a missionary village, which owes its present
beauty to the luxuriancy of the surrounding country; it is twenty-eight
leagues south-south-west of Valencia, in 9° 20' north latitude; the
climate is very hot, but owing to the prevalence of the north-east wind
it is much ameliorated. The inhabitants amount to 9500, composed of
Spaniards from the Canaries, and Creoles, and are engaged in rearing
cattle, horses and mules, which form their chief riches; the quality of
the soil is so good that it gives an exquisite flavour to the fruits,
particularly to its oranges, which are celebrated throughout the
province.
Indigo and coffee are the chief articles cultivated at San Carlos, and
the town is large, handsome, and well laid out.
_Araura_ on the shore of the river Acarigua is north-north-east of
Truxillo, in a fertile country, where numerous herds of cattle are
reared, and cotton and coffee are cultivated; this town, which was,
till lately, a missionary village, contains a fine square, a handsome
church, and several streets of well built houses.
_Calaboso_ was also a mission until lately; it was formed into a town
for the sake of those Spanish owners who wished to be near their cattle
which roam on the vast plains of the same name.
It is situated between the rivers Guarico and Orituco, which unite
their waters four or five leagues below the town, and then flow into
the Apure.
The number of inhabitants in this new town is 4800, and it has 116
settlements in its jurisdiction, containing 1186 free Indians, 3100
people of colour, and 943 slaves. It is fifty-two leagues south of
Caraccas, and about the same distance from the Orinoco, in 8° 40' north
latitude.
_San Juan del Pao_ is also inhabited by the proprietors of the cattle
on the plains, and consists of a church and several handsome streets on
the Pao, which runs into the Orinoco. It contains 5400 souls, and is
fifty leagues south-west of Caraccas, in 9° 20' north latitude.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
Reviews
Reviews
No reviews yet
Be the first to share your thoughts on this work.
Join the Discussion
Join the discussion
Sign in to leave a comment or review.
Sign InorCreate an account