48 TEINIDAD. 



by a plateau or table-land. The two subdivisions of the northern 

 plain may be called the Oropuche Basin on the E., and the Caroni 

 on the W. : the two sections of the southern plain may likewise 

 be termed the Guataro basin on the E., and the Great Lagoon 

 on the W. To these four basins may be added the following 1 : 

 the Lebranche at the eastern, and the Guaracara basin at the 

 western extremity of the central range. These are two valleys 

 formed by a bifurcation of that range. 



Rivers. — These plains are watered and drained by a number 

 of rivers and rivulets, and the flanks of the mountains deeply 

 rent and furrowed by innumerable ravines. Proceeding eastward 

 from Port-of- Spain, we meet in the northern division with the 

 following perennial water-courses : the Aricagua, or San Juan's ; 

 the St. Joseph's, the Tacarigua, Arauca, Oropuna, Mujico, Arima, 

 Maturita, Guanape, Mamo, Aripo, and Valencia. All these 

 streams have their sources in the northern range. After receiving 

 the Valencia on the left and the Mamo on the right, as also the 

 Cumuto, from the Tamana ridge, the Aripo river unites with the 

 Guanape, to form the Caroni, of which the Aripo may be regarded 

 as the true origin. The Maturita and Arima are affluents of the 

 Guanape ; the other named rivers discharge their waters into the 

 Caroni. The Aripo takes a southerly direction, with a bend to 

 the W. ; the course of the Caroni is very nearly due W., and it 

 has its embouchure in the gulf about two miles S. of Port-of - 

 Spain. Besides the above tributaries, the Caroni receives the 

 Tumpuna and Arena from Tamana. It flows through a low and 

 partly swampy district, and has a very winding course. Its 

 banks are high and steep in the former part of its course, and the 

 water shallow. Approaching the swamps the banks are on a 

 level with the adjoining lands ; its bed deepens to several feet, 

 and it may be ascended for several miles by the flats of vessels 

 loading or discharging in the harbour. 



Proceeding eastward, we meet with the following streams : — 

 The Cuare, with the Turure and La Ceyba, its tributaries ; the 

 Oropuche, which receives the Cuare on the right, and the Rio 

 Grande on the left side. They all rise in the northern range, and 

 run in a southerly direction, curving to the E. The Oropuche 

 receives from the central range the Cunapo and its affluent the 

 Guayco ; also the Sangre Grande and Sangre Chiquito, which 

 are themselves formed by the aggregation of a number of small 





