Among the lake dwellers in Venezuela there are coiisideralile dilTereuct 

 live in picturesque poverty in an outer line of houses 



weuUh. The poorer [jeople 







The pile-built villages in the lagoon of Sinimaica are survivals of tlie ancient villages of the Indians 

 from which the name Venezuela — Little Venice — was derived. All traffic is by boat and you step from the 

 wobbly dugout upon ladders rising from the water and find yourself on a shaky platform of small poles. 

 Within the house you sit on your heels and eat toasted plantains and boiled manioc, while beneath you little 

 scavenger fishes watch eagerly for crumbs that may fall through the latticed floor 



16 



