precious privilege which the king preserved and still preserves for his people. The city of Caravalleda peaceably exercised this sacred right, till in 1586, it pleased the governor of the province, Louis de Roxas, by his own private authority, to prohibit the inhabitants from appointing the alcaides for the ensuing year, because he would undertake to appoint them himself. Remonstrances were made, to which no attention was paid. That, however, did not prevent the people, when the usual period of the elections arrived, from proceeding, according to custom, to the choice of the alcaides. Those whom the governor had appointed, presented themselves, but were not received. The abuse of power had so incensed these men, justly jealous of their privileges, that they resolved to support them at every risk. The governor, on the other hand, whom this energy had violently exasperated, to the former injustice added another still more grievous; for he had the temerity to order the four regidors to be arrested, and cast them into dungeons for having faithfully discharged the duties of their offices.

The inhabitants of Caravalleda regarded this injury as done to themselves individually. They unanimously adopted the laudable resolution of abandoning a city where the law had suffered so unwarrantable an outrage; they all retired to Valencia and Caraccas.The city which they deserted became the haunt of reptiles and ravenous birds.

In the mean time, the king, conformably to the system which the government has adopted for repressing violations of the laws, censured the conduct of the

governor, and inflicted such penalties upon him, as appeared sufficient to deter his successors from aiming any new blow at the rights of the king's vassals. The regidors were released from confinement, and obtained all the satisfaction that could be reasonably expected. The inhabitants of Caravalleda were invited to repair to their habitations. None of them thought proper to comply. They replied that they never would live in a country, which would be continually reminding them of the offence which they had received. Despairing of being able to repeople Caravalleda, they made La Guira a port of entry and clearance for that part of the province.

Wise and resolute men, who have discovered your sensibility, without having recourse to those extremes which would have dishonoured your cause, let your precious ashes receive the homage of one of your sincerest admirers! Your silent retreat from a place contaminated by the exercise of illegitimate authority, has given a check to usurpation. May your memorable conduct be for ever impressed on the hearts of all men, so as to challenge the admiration of those who rule, and the imitation of those who are destined to obey.

Port Francis.

Between La Guira and Cape Codera, separated by the space of twenty-five leagues, are found seventeen rivers, which, at equal distances, throw 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. As the reasons assigned for this name do not to me appear plausible, I rather forbear specifying them, than risk giving publicity to such as may not be authentic. 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 southeast. At the distance of three leagues is the small port of Higuerota, which is nothing superior to Port Francis. Like it, it is used only for shipping the commodities of the neighbouring plantations.

Bay or Lake of Tacarigua.

From Higuerota to the river Paparo, a branch of the Tuy, the distance is three leagues; the same is the distance from that to the mouth of the Tuy, which is no more than a league and a half from Lake Tacarigua. This lake must not be confounded with that of Valencia, to which the Indians give the same Rame. The form of the lake exactly resembles that of a bay, and would certainly have obtained that name, but for a bar of quick-sand, which frequently cuts off its communication with the sea. Its form is circular. It measures about seven leagues from the sea on the north-east, to its deepest recess on the south-east. It abounds in all kinds of sea-fish. It is particularly remarkable for the great number of alligators which are seen in it. For twenty-eight leagues on the coast to the eastward, a great variety of rivers appear,

whose streams in the rainy season swell into torrents, but in the hot season most of them become extremely shallow, whilst the channels of others are entirely dried up.

Barcelona.

The first port after that is Barcelona, watered by the Neveri. On re-ascending on the east side of the river about four miles from its mouth, an eminence which bears the name of the city, we observe a fort erected for the protection of vessels, which anchor not far from it in a bay so shallow as not to be capable of admitting vessels of considerable size.This port, if it may be called so, affords no shelter but against the breeze; but at the distance of one league to the north, the island of Borracha, inhabited by fishermen, presents, on its south side, a safe harbour for ships of the largest size.

From the hill of Barcelona, the coast runs to the north-east as far as Cumana, which is at the distance of two leagues. That space is filled with a chain of islands, not far removed from the coast. Some of these are provided with bays and ports, but they are of no great consequence.

Cumana.

Cumana stands about one third of a league from the beach. Since the city has been extended on the western bank, the Manzanares bisects it. But, as has been already observed, it is so shallow as

to be navigable only for small craft. Merchantmen anchor on what the Spaniards call the placer, which means a sand-bank under water. This anchoring, suitable for vessels of all descriptions, lies west from the river and directly opposite to a stream called Bordones, about the distance of one league from the mouth of the river. From this description of the place, it will readily occur to the reader, that recourse must be had to lighters for loading and unloading. This port has the advantage of being well sheltered against the inclemency of the wea

ther.

The Gulf of Cariaco.

As we proceed to the east of Cumana, the first object which attracts our attention is the gulf of Cariaco, formed by a part of the coast of Cumana, the point of Araya, and the Barrigon. It extends ten leagues from east to west, and is three, in some places four leagues, broad. Its depth, at the middle of the gulf, is from 80 to 100 fathoms. Its waters are as placid as those of a lake; the reason is, that it is protected by the mountains which surround it, from all other winds, except the breeze, but to that it is left entirely exposed, and consequently must experience an agitation of its waters proportioned to the strength of the breeze. In this gulf there are three places very convenient for loading, namely, the lake of Eveco, the Gurintar and Juanantar.