84 RAVAGES OF THE TERMITES. 



Nueva Valencia, founded in 1555 under the government 

 of Villaeinda, by Alonzo Diaz Moreno, is twelve years older 

 than Caracas. Valencia was at first only a dependency of 

 Burburata; but this latter town is nothing now but a place 

 of embarkation for mules. It is regretted, and perhaps 

 justly, that Valencia has not become the capital of the 

 country. Its situation in a plain, on the banks of a lake, 

 recalls to mind the position of Mexico. "\Vhen we reflect on 

 the easy communication afforded by the valleys of Aragua 

 with the Llanos and the rivers that flow into the Orinoco ; 

 when we recognize the possibility of opening an inland 

 navigation, by the Bio Pao and the Portuguesa, as far as the 

 mouths of the Orinoco, the Cassiquiare, and the Amazon, 

 it may be conceived that the capital of the vast provinces of 

 Venezuela would have been better placed near the fine 

 harbour of Porto Cabello, beneath a pure and serene sky, 

 than near the unsheltered road of La Guayra, in a tem- 

 perate but constantly foggy valley. Near the kingdom of 

 New Grenada, and situate between the fertile corn-lands of 

 La Victoria and Barquesiuieto, the city of Valencia ought to 

 have prospered; but, notwithstanding these advantages, it 

 has been unable to maintain the co'ntest with Caracas. 



Only those who have seen the myriads of ants, that infest 

 the countries within the torrid zone, can form an idea of the 

 destruction and the sinking of the ground occasioned by 

 these insects. They abound to such a degree on the site of 

 Valencia, that their excavations resemble subterranean 

 canals, which are filled with Water in the time of the rains, 

 and become very dangerous to the buildings. Here recourse 

 has not been had to the extraordinary means employed at 

 the beginning of the sixteenth century in the island of 

 St. Domingo, when troops of ants ravaged the fine plains of 

 La Vega, and the rich possessions of the order of St. Francis. 

 The monks, after having in vain burnt the larvae of the ants, 

 and had recouse to fumigations, advised the inhabitants to 

 choose by lot a saint, who would act as a mediator against 

 the plague of the ants.* The honour of the choice fell on 

 St. Saturnin; and the ants disappeared as soon as the first 

 festival of this saint was celebrated. Incredulity has made 

 Ijrreat progress since the time of the conquest; and Jt vaa 

 * Un abogado contra los hannigos. 





