AVES ISLAND. 357 



takes place, in order tliat Mr. Eames may be invited to witness it, if 

 lie thinks proper?" 



And the executive authority having directed me to send you a tran- 

 script thereof, and to authorize you to he pleased to cause Colonel 

 Domingo Dias, the captains of frigate Manuel and Luis Cotarro, ivho 

 commanded the schooner-of-war Falcon, which performed the commis- 

 sion to the island of Aves ; the second lieutenants, Avelino Kodriguez 

 and Pablo Garcia, subordinate officers on the same ; the first lieuten- 

 ant, Nicolas Pereira, adjutant to the first named officer ; and the second 

 lieutenant, Jesus Maria Arrillaga, now second in command of the 

 schooner-of-war Monagas, to appear before your command, in order 

 that they may give their depositions in regard to the points mentioned, 

 it being incumbent on you to notify in advance the minister resident 

 of the United States of the predetermined day, in order that he may 

 be present at the proceeding, if he thinks proper, 



I am your obedient servant, 



CARLOS L. CASTELLI. 



A copy. 



Gutierrez. 



Commanding General's Office, 



Caraccas, May 18, 1857. 

 Let the determination of his excellency the executive authority be 

 complied with. For this purpose the 30th instant, at twelve o'clock 

 in the day, is fixed — being appointed as secretary. Lieutenant Olegario 

 Jose Meneses, who swears duly to discharge the duties intrusted to 

 him. Let the suitable summonses and notifications be made. 



MANUEL CALA, 



General. 



T. F. DE LA GUERRA. 



Adjutant of the post, 

 O. Jose Meneses. 



On the same date the necessary notifications were made. 



On the 30th of the same month appeared before this command 

 Colonel Domingo Dias, thirty-three years of age, commander of the 

 post of Laguayra, who, having first been sworn according to law, 

 said: 



Question. How was the island of Aves at the time of your arrival ? 

 He replied, that when he reached it, on the twelfth of December, at 

 seven o'clock at night, three vessels were anchored there. < In the 

 morning of the following day he went ashore, in order to ascertain 

 what they were doing there, and it turned out that they were anchored 

 for the purpose of loading with guano; and, moreover, that some 

 eighty individuals were on shore, engaged in digging it out and 

 putting it on board. 



Question. Who were on the island? He replied, some Americans, 

 who were directed by two individuals that represented two firms in 

 the United States. 



