VENEZUELA. 



VENEZUELA. 



901 



The southern portion of Venezuela is drained by the Rio Negro, 

 which in its upper course is called Guainla. It is joined from the 

 north by the Casiquiare, a branch of the Orinoco, which connects the 

 Eio Orinoco with the Rio Amazonas. This natural channel is 

 240 miles long, in general 30 feet deep, and on the average about 

 400 yards wide. It is navigable, as well as the Rio Negro, as far as it 

 drains the territories of the republic ; but lower down in Brazil the 

 navigation is interrupted by numerous rapids and small cataract*. 



One of the principal affluents of the Essequibo, the Cuyooni, rises 

 in Venezuela. It flows 600 miles, of which above 400 miles are navi- 

 gable ; but only the upper portion of this river belongs to the republic. 



The rivers which fall into the sea within the territory of the 

 republic without joining the Orinoco, Rio Negro, or Essequibo, have 

 a comparatively short course. A few of them however are navigated, 

 as the Quarapiche, which risea in the mountain-system of the Bergantin, 

 and falls into the Gulf of Paria. It runs about 180 miles, of which 

 more than 70 miles are navigable. The Neveri, on which the town 

 of Barcelona is built, rises in Mount Turumiquire, runs about 60 miles, 

 and is navigable for small boats for 40 miles, and for larger boats 

 18 miles. The I'uarc, rising in the Mesas, flows about 170 miles, and 

 is navigable for 90 miles. The Tui, which drains the principal valley 

 of the coast-range, flows 1 90 miles, and is navigable for more than 

 80 uiile*. The largest of the rivers falling into the Caribbean Sea is 

 the Tocuyo, which rises on the northern declivity of the Paramos of 

 Niguitao and of Rosas, and falls into the Golfo Tristc after a course 

 of 300 miles, of which more than 150 miles are navigable. The 

 largest of the navigable riven falling into the Lake of Maracaibo have 

 been noticed. 



Climate, Production!, <tc. With respect to climate, Venezuela is 

 divided by the natives into three zones, called Tierras Calidas, Tern- 

 pladas, and Friaj. Hot countries (tierras calidas) are all those which 

 do not rise more than 2000 feet above the sea, and in which only 

 tropical plants and fruits succeed. The temperate countries (tierras 

 terapladas) are between 2000 and 7000 feet above the sea ; the agri- 

 cultural productions of Europe succeed best in them. The cold 

 countries (tierras frias) are those which, from 7000 feet above the 

 sea-level, rise to the summit of the Sierra Nevada de Merida 

 (15,348 feet), 143 feet above the snow-line (15,200 feet), and are 

 uninhabited. The cold and temperate regions however occupy only 

 a comparatively small portion of the country, by far the greater 

 portion of which has a hot climate. In Venezuela, an in other 

 countries between the tropics, the year is divided into two seasons, 

 a wet or winter, and a dry or summer season. The north-east trade- 

 wind, which properly blows the whole year round in this country, is 

 modified in its direction and force by these seasons. As soon aa the 

 inn crones the equator, the wind passes to the south of east, and the 

 rains begin, accompanied by thunder-storms. The rains are gene- 

 rally abundant and continual, though there occur a few days in which 

 not a drop falls ; and there is aleo an interval, either before or after 

 rni'l iimmer, when it does not rain for a whole month. This season 

 is called the Little Summer of St. John. The dry season, or summer, 

 begins when the sun has entered the southern hemisphere. This 

 general order of the Reasons is however subject to numerous modi- 

 fications in several parts of the country. 



Codazri gives a list of 1 80 plants which are cultivated in Venezuela ; 

 there are also 240 kinds of trees and shrubs, whose wood is used for 

 domestic purposes, 38 plants yielding gums and resins, and 45 which 

 produce medical drugs. The articles of cultivation which are grown 

 for exportation are coffee, cotton, indigo, cacao, tugar, tobacco, and 

 cocoa-nut*. Cotton is grown chiefly in the valleys of the coast-range, 

 and in the country adjacent to it on the south, and also in Barman. 

 ', which was once the most important object of cultivation, is 

 neglected, and coffee, cotton, and sugar have taken its place ; but 

 indigo is still grown in tome places within the coast-range. The 

 cacao of Caracas is known as the best, but its cultivation baa greatly 

 extended in the valleys of the coast-range and of the Bergantin, and 

 hi the plains of Barinas. Coffee has of late years become the 

 staple product : it is very largely grown in the valleys of the coast- 

 range, on the declivities of the Andes, and in the plains of Barinas. 

 The plantations of sugar are much less extensive : nearly all of them 

 are in the valleys of the const-range, especially in the vales of Aragua. 

 The cocoa-palm is met with to the height of 700 feet, and large 

 <p uititirs of the oil are exported. The tobacco of this country is of 

 the beat quality, and grows in the valleys of the Bergantin, the 

 .ties of the Andes, and the plains of Utapa and Barinas. The 

 tobacco of Barinas (Varinas) is well-known in Europe, but that of 

 Cumanacoa in the Bergantin Mountains is said to be better. Maize 

 Is most extensively cultivated all over the country ; but wheat only 

 in the more elevated tracts, especially in those which are more than 

 1800 feet above the sea-level. Itice is grown in a few places in the 

 lower tracts, and barley only on the declivity of the Andes. Millet 

 is an object of cultivation. The plantain (Muta paradiiiaca), is 

 cultivated in all the agricultural districts up to 7000 feet. The roots 

 which are grown as food are chiefly potatoes, batatas (Conrolrulut 

 fata/at), yucca (Jatrofha mnnihnl), &c. The cultivation of almost 

 every kind of leguminous plants is considerable, especially beans, 

 haricot*, lentils, vetches, and garbanza*. Melons and water-melons 

 are much attended to, but vegetables are in general neglected. 



GltOO. DIT. VOL. IT. 



The number of fruit-trees is great, but the cultivation is little 

 attended to. Besides the vine, which succeeds well in some of the 

 higher valleys, the fig, pomegranate, orange, lime, and lemon have 

 been transplanted from Europe. Some of the indigenous trees bear 

 excellent fruits, among which the most remarkable are the Launa 

 Persea, Annona tquamosa, A. Humboldtiana, Sapola, mammosa, the 

 pine-apple, and the tamarind. 



The domestic animals constitute one of the principal branches of 

 the wealth of Venezuela. The large plains supply pasture for cattle, 

 horses, mules, and asses, and the number of these animals is very 

 great. It is also considerable in the other districts, as the greater 

 part of the country is uncultivated. Sheep nnd goats are also 

 generally kept, but are ouly numerous in the mountains of Nirgua 

 and the hilly tract which lies north of them. Pigs abound iu the 

 valleys of the mountain ranges and the countries contiguous to 

 them. 



Wild animals are numerous ; among them are the jaguar (called in 

 the country the tiger), the puuia, the ounce (which is found in tho 

 forests of the Sierra de Nirgua), the tiger-cat, the tapir, the capybara, 

 the venado (a kind of deer), the aguti, porcupine, rabbit, several kinds 

 of wild hogs, the sloth, the ant-eater, and several varieties of monkeys 

 and apes. Two kinds of whales, the phygeter and narwhal, are fre- 

 quently met with along the northern coast ; and in the large rivers 

 are the manati and the touiua, a kind of dolphin, which attains a 

 length of 9 or 10 feet. The birds are numerous, especially those 

 belonging to the Palconida, Ardeidce, Strigida, Twdlda;, Tanagridce, 

 Picidif, and Psittacido- ; among the last-mentioned the loris are 

 distinguished by the beauty of their plumage. There are also 

 pelicans, wild geese and ducks, and flamingoes. 



Fish are abundant in the sea, the rivers, and lakes and lagoons. 

 The greatest fishery is carried on in the strait which divides the 

 peninsula of Araya from the island of Margarita, round the island of 

 Coclie, where a great quantity of a fish called liza is taken, salted, and 

 exported to all the ports of the republic and the West Indies. The 

 salted and dried eggs of the fish are also a considerable article of 

 commerce. Turtle are found in the sea, and mauteca made from 

 their eggs is an important article of commerce. Mauteca is also made 

 from the fat of the manati. The alligator abounds in the Orinoco, 

 Apure, and Portugesa, and is also found in several other rivers. The 

 iguana is eaten, and considered a dainty. Tho chameleon is common 

 in some parts. There are boa-constrictors and several venomous 

 snakes. The pipa abounds in tho Parime Mountains. Pearl-oysters 

 were very abundant soon after the discovery of America in the strait 

 between the peninsula of Araya aud the island of Margarita, and a 

 very advantageous fishery was carried on for several years. In the 

 hilly tract between, tho Golfo Tristc and the lake the cochineal insect 

 is found, but is not turned to any account. 



Venezuela is not rich in mineral.'*. Gold is fuund in several places, 

 and has been worked, but not to much purpose. Silver-, tin-, aud 

 copper-ore are also met with, but only the last is profitably worked. 

 Iron- and lead-ore occur, but are not worked. Coal is found at 

 some places in the const-range. A kind of natron is extracted from a 

 small htke on the southern declivity of the Andes, in the province of 

 Merida, and is mixed with tobacco. At several places petroleum 

 occurs, especially in the peninsula of Araya. Salt is produced to a 

 great amount in tho salt-works of the peninsulas of Araya and 

 Paraguana, and in the Gulf of Maracaibo. 



Manufacture* and Commerce. The few manufactures of this 

 country are carried on in the Sierra Nirgua and on the declivities of 

 the Andes, at Tocuyo, Barqnisimento, Trujillo, and Merida, where 

 straw-hats, hammocks, coarse cotton-cloth, Borne worsted stuff*, and 

 earthenware are made. The tanneries are rather numerous, and 

 nearly all the articles of leather which are consumed in the country 

 are made within it, and constitute one of the most important branches 

 of internal commerce. 



The commerce of Venezuela diminished greatly during the War of 

 Independence, cultivation having been much neglected during that 

 period ; but though the state of society has been unsettled ever since 

 the termination of the war, the trade has recovered, though very 

 different of course to what it might be were the country in the hands 

 of a peaceful and industrious people. The total value of the exports 

 do not average much over a million and a quarter sterling, and the 

 imports are little over a million. More than half the entire amount 

 of both the export aud import trades is with the United States atid 

 Great Britain. The exports to the United States in 1863 amounted to 

 2,613,780 dollars; the imports were 844,527 dollars. The imports 

 from Great Britain in 1853 were 248,1902. ; in 1854 they amounted to 

 300,8992. The countries with which the trade of Venezuela is next 

 largest in amount are, Denmark, Germany, France, Holland, and 

 Spain. The exports are chiefly cacao, coffee, indigo, cotton, sugar, 

 tobacco, vanilla, sarsaparilla and dye-woods, copper-ore, horses, mules, 

 cattle, jerked beef, hides, horns, &c. 



Inhabitantt. The inhabitants consist of Indian aborigines, of 

 Spaniards and Africans who have settled among them, aud of the 

 offiipring which has resulted from the mixture of the^e three nation?. 

 The unmixed aboriginal Indian* 'are distinguished by a large hra.l, 

 narrow forehead, lank and long black hair, eyes of middling size, sharp 

 nose, wide mouth, thick lips, and broad face. They aro generally 



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