governor Collado was the first that paid attention to its works. An insurrection of the Indians caused it to be abandoned. A peace made with the cacique Guaycaypuro, although far from being a sincere one, afforded another opportunity of returning to the works; but they were soon arrested, for the Indians made their attack with such a multitude of men, and at so unexpected a moment, that they butchered all the workmen, and destroyed the works: nor has there ever been any attempt to re-establish them.

Sebastian Dias discovered in 1584, at Apa and Carapa, not far from the banks of the Tuy, two mines where the gold was very abundant, and at twenty-three carats. Unfortunately for the authors of the discovery, but fortunately for the present generation, the country was found to be so unhealthy, that every person got sick there, and a considerable number died. It, therefore, became indispensable to abandon treasures that could not be attained without a sacrifice of men, which the smallness of the population did not permit them to support. In 1606, Sancho Alquisa wished to re-establish them. searched for them, but could not find them. or rather the Indians, had not left a single vestige of Governor D. Francisco Berro

them undestroyed.

They

Time,

caran made similar efforts in 1698, and with as little success.

All these lucky crosses have delivered the inhabitants from the evils attendant on the working of gold and silver mines, which, as long as they last, are the tomb of the greatest part of those who labour in them; which enervate, emaciate, and condemn to a languish

ing life those who are not stifled in their bosom; which destroy the germ of all the social and domestic virtues; which banish all regard to order and economy; which support debauchery and dissipation, with all the vices that follow in their train; and which, when they are exhausted, for 'prodigality substitute poverty; for labour, vagrancy; and disgorge into society the workmen whom they employed, without any other resource than to choose between beggary or robbery.

It is pleasing to me to have it in my power to observe, that, if these provinces have not enjoyed, nor are ever probably destined to enjoy, the transient lustre which the mines confer, they are amply, very amply, indemnified by the abundant, precious, and inexhaustible productions of a soil, which, on account of its fertility, and extent, will become the constant abode of ease and happiness, and that too, when those countries, which boast of their mines, will present but rubbish, ruins, and frightful excavations, the melancholy monuments of departed opulence.

Yet, in the jurisdiction of St. Philip, some mines of copper of superior quality, are made an object of considerable attention, but they do not employ such a number of hands as to cause humanity to groan at the sight of its own degradation, nor to occasion a diversion from the cultivation of the soil, materially prejudicial. The convenience of ready supply, and the low price of this metal, being sold at 15 piastres per quintal, have induced the greater part of the planters who cultivate the cane, to have their boilers, and the cylinders of their mills made of it. There is the

greater probability that this example will be universally followed, especially with respect to the boilers, as copper, being more permeable than iron, opposes ́less resistance to the action of the fire, and consequently the boiling goes on with more promptness in the copper, than in the iron boilers, from which results, at least, a saving of time and fuel. Another reason entitles the copper to a preference: when an iron boiler, or cylinder breaks, there is equally a loss of materials and of manufacture, whereas when they are made of copper, the owner suffers a loss amounting to little more than the charges of workmanship.

Besides supplying the local consumption, the copper of those mines has furnished for exportation, from Porto-Cabello, which is the most convenient port, one hundred and seventy-one quintals; and the quantity would be much greater, but for the circumstances of the war.

Pearl Fishery.

At the beginning of the discovery of Terra-Firma, the pearl fishery formed the most considerable branch of the riches of the country, and of the revenues of the king. It was carried on between the islands of Cubagua and Margaretta, at the expense of the lives of a great number of Spaniards and Indians, who perished in that business, the effects of which are as deplorable as those of the mines. The island of Cubagua is but a barren land, without water and without wood. It was the first abode chosen by the Spaniards, and eupidity alone could render it supportable. It beVOL. I.

M

comes a subject of congratulation, that certain circumstances, which seem to accord with the great design of providence in making the inhabitants of Venezuela an agricultural people, caused them to abandon the pearl fishery, which they never after resumed. Nay, it is pretended that the pearls have disappeared from the eastern coast, and that the first place on the leeward where that fishery is carried on with some success, is a bay situated between Cape Chichibacoa and Cape de la Vela, occupied by the Guahiros Indians, who sell their pearls to the Dutch and English.

Salt.

The whole coast north of the province of Venezuela furnishes a considerable quantity of salt, of a beautiful whiteness; but the most abundant salt-pit is that of Araya, which may vie with all those of America, not even excepting Turks Island. That salt-pit consists of a mixture of the fossil and marine salts. Its working is very little attended to; so that it does not yield the one hundredth part of the quantity it is capable of producing. It will appear, from the chapter on the imposts, that the king causes the salt to be sold on his account, or commits the concern to others. The smallness of the revenue arising from it will appear astonishing.

Mineral Waters.

These provinces abound in mineral waters, some warm, some cold. They are to be found here of va

rious qualities, such as the ammoniacal, the ferruginous, the nitrous, and even the acidulous. Medicine does not derive from them all the advantages they are capable of affording, because, in general, they are at too great a distance from inhabited places, and consequently the patient cannot, without depriving himself of those domestic attentions which contribute so much to the recovery of health, leave his own habitation to try a remedy, which local inconveniences must evidently render inefficacious. This is the only reason which causes these springs to be so little frequented, and even so little known.

Some of these waters have a degree of heat, which approaches to that of boiling water. Those that are upon the old way leading from Porto Bello to Valencia, rise to the 72d degree; and another spring in the vallies of Aragua is still hotter.

Seasons.

The year is not divided in this part of South America, as it is in Europe. Neither spring nor winter are known here, except from books. Winter and summer complete the whole year. It is neither cold nor heat which marks their distinctive boundaries, but rain and drought. To what is called winter is assigned the interval of time between the months of April and November, which is precisely the rainy season; to summer, the six remaining months, during which the rains are less frequent, sometimes even

rare.