88 SMITHSONIAN MISCELLANEOUS COLLECTIONS VOL. I02 



Chapter XXV 



Of the Founding of the City of San Juan of the Lagoon of Uchire. 



248. On the other side of the provinces and tribes just mentioned, 

 next the provinces of the Cumanagotos and Palenques, hes the 

 Province of Uchire, with toward 2,000 Indians of that tribe ; and in 

 this has been estabhshed the city of San Juan de la Laguna, so called 

 because of a lagoon beside it which contains quantities of delicious fish. 

 In this lagoon, which is connected with the sea, the high tide brings 

 great numbers of fish, particularly lebranches, which are like bream 

 but somewhat larger, and various other fish, which fill up this lagoon ; 

 at dead water they close its mouth, the Uchire and Palenques Indians 

 having previously set weirs made of stakes around and across the 

 mouth of the lagoon ; and when the ebb starts, its force drives the 

 fish toward the sea; and with nothing but this device, such quantities 

 of fish land in the traps (barbacoas) they have set in these enclosures 

 that with their abundance they supply all those provinces as far as 

 Caracas, especially for Lent. There are likewise salt pans in this 

 same lagoon, from which they supply themselves and sell it to the 

 Caribs and all the adjoining tribes. 



249. The city of San Juan de la Laguna was founded and settled by 

 Capt. Juan Garcia Carrasco, a native of the city of Caracas, in the 

 year 1599. After he had shared in the conquest and settlement of the 

 city of San Sebastian, having been one of its chief founders, he came 

 over with his establishment, children, brothers, and friends, and sub- 

 dued the Province of Uchire, founding there the above-mentioned city 

 and maintaining it ever since the conquest and settlement at his own 

 expense. With his own income he pays a priest to say Mass for them 

 and administer the Holy Sacraments, and catechize and instruct the 

 Indians in our Holy Faith, without any assistance from the Governors 

 of Cumana or Caracas; indeed, they refused, since they claimed that 

 it was for his own honor and glory that Captain Carrasco took over 

 and maintained this tract so long a time with so much courage. 



250. And although with his invincible spirit and excellent admin- 

 istration he has tried to continue annexing territory and subdue and 

 attract the natives to acquaintance with our Holy Faith, he has been 

 unsuccessful, owing to the strong opposition of the Governors and to 

 the proximity of the Cumanagotos, Palenques, and Caribs of the 

 plains, who live next the Orinoco and are cannibals ; all these tribes 

 fear and respect him because of the courage with which he has been 

 able to sustain the Uchire tribe, defended by Captain Carrasco and his 

 Spaniards. The city counts 25 Spanish residents, having had at times 



