55 



CHAPTEE IV 



Ciudad-Bolivar —Construction of the houses — Malaria — Notes on the 

 town — Navigation of the Orinoco — Bise and fall of the Orinoco — 

 The Orinoco as a highway — Exports — The trade in feathers — The trade 

 in balata gum — Export duties — Salt-pans — Salt monopoly — Araya — 

 Formation of salt deposits — Smuggling of salt — Leprosy — Strange 

 method of fishing. 



The first capital of Guayana was called San Tomas de 

 Guayana, It was founded in 1575, but in 1591 a new 

 site was chosen, which continued to be the metropolis 

 until 1764, when the seat of government was removed 

 to the spot which it still occupies. The new town was 

 appropriately christened Angostura, * The Narrows,' be- 

 cause at this spot the Orinoco is contracted to a consider- 

 able extent by the hills on both banks. The distance 

 across the river to the small town of Soledad on the 

 opposite bank is about a mile. Above and below ' The 

 Narrows ' the Orinoco is rarely less than two miles in 

 width, while for long stretches it spreads out to a breadth 

 of four and even five miles, and is altogether a stream of 

 majestic proportions. But it does not by any means 

 occupy that position among the rivers of the world 

 assigned to it by most Venezuelans and many travellers 

 I have met with. It would not figure on a list enume- 

 rating the earth's twelve greatest rivers, for instance. Of 

 course it is almost impossible to compare rivers in difierent 

 countries affected by different climates, therefore the 

 compiling of an accurate list of the most important rivers 

 of the world in order of magnitude would be beset with 



