138 SITUATION OF THE TOWS. 





fathers had already penetrated beyond the great cataracts of 

 Atures and Maypures, when the Andalusian Capuchins had 

 scarcely reached the plains of Calabozo, from the coast and 

 the valleys of Aragua. It would be difficult to explain these 

 contrasts by the system according to which, the different 

 monastic orders are governed ; for the aspect of the country 

 contributes powerfully to the more or less rapid progress of 

 the Missions. They extend but slowly into the interior of 

 the land, over mountains, or in steppes, wherever they do 

 not follow the course of a particular river. It will scarcely 

 be believed, that the Villa de Fernando de Apure, only fifty 

 leagues distant in a direct line from that part of the coast 

 of Caracas which has been longest inhabited, was founded 

 at no earlier a date than 1789. "We were shown a parch- 

 ment, full of fine paintings, containing the privileges of this 

 little town. The parchment was sent from Madrid at the 

 solicitation of the monks, whilst yet only a few huts of reeds 

 were to be seen around a great cross raised in the centre of 

 the hamlet. The missionaries and the secular governments 

 being alike interested in exaggerating in Europe what they 

 have done to augment the culture and population of the 

 provinces beyond sea, it often happens that names of towns 

 and villages are placed on the list of new conquests, long 

 before their foundation. 



The situation of San Fernando, on a large navigable river, 

 near the mouth of another river which traverses the whole 

 province of Varinas, is extremely advantageous for trade. 

 Every production of that province, hides, cacao, cotton, and 

 the indigo of Mijagual, which is of the first quality, passes 

 through this town towards the mouths of the Orinoco. 

 During the season of rains large vessels go from Angostura 

 as far as San Fernando de Apure, and by the Bio Santo 

 Domingo as far as Torufios, the port of the town of Varinas. 

 At that period the inundations of the rivers, which form a 

 labyrinth of branches between the Apure, the Arauca, the 

 Capanaparo, and the Sinaruco, cover a country of nearly 

 four hundred square leagues. At this point, the Orinoco, 

 turned aside from its course, not by neighbouring moun- 

 tains, but by the rising of counterslopes, runs eastward 

 instead of following its previous direction in the line of 

 the meridian. Considering the surface of the globe as a 



