78 TRINIDAD. 



from the Montserrat range, and discharges itself into the gulf, 

 southward of Point-a-Pierre ; the St. John and the Tarouba are 

 also currents of this valley. 



Between Manzanilla and Mayaro, at the basis of the Labranche 

 group, and parallel with the Cocal, is an extensive swampy tract, 

 cut up by several canals, which concur in the formation of the 

 Nariva. This river, or rather natural canal, runs northward, and 

 nearly parallel with the shore, till it meets with the high land of 

 Morne Calabash, when it curves in an opposite direction south- 

 ward, to discharge itself nearly in the centre of the Cocal ; hence 

 its name of Mitan, or Middle River. The Nariva cannot be said to 

 have any current, since the flow is upwards at high tide, and 

 downwards at low tide only ; it is very deep and wide near its 

 mouth, and receives all its waters from the central range. 



The rivers on the N. and S. coasts may be regarded, in general, 

 as unimportant. They are, on the N., Rio Grande, Tiburon, 

 Madamas, Paria, Macapou, Chupara, Las Cuevas, and Maraccas ; 

 on the S. the Lizards and Pilot rivers discharge their waters into 

 the bay of Guayaguayare ; they are both tidal streams. Between 

 Points Canari and Pelican, are three small rivers ; then comes the 

 Moruga, westward of Point Moruga, a tidal stream also, and the 

 largest of all ; and, in succession, La Ceyba, Curao, Siparia, and 

 Erin, to the leeward of the corresponding promontories. 



The different water-courses above mentioned present a few 

 general characteristics which require notice. Those that take 

 their rise in the northern range have clear and limpid waters, 

 running over pebbly beds ; those from the central range flow 

 between steep banks, and over muddy bottoms, their waters being 

 turbid and yellow as, for instance, the Cumuto and Tumpurio, 

 the Cunapo, Sangre-Chiquito, &c. Several of these streams, but 

 especially those which take their rise in, or only flow through, 

 swampy districts, have dark-coloured waters ; such as the Nariva, 

 Mosquito Creek, the Godineau, &c. The water, however, though 

 dark, is perfectly clear, the discoloration arising from the long 

 maceration of leaves, bark, and other vegetable debris in water 

 almost stagnant. 



Rivers falling into the gulf, particularly the Caroni and Couva, 

 are obstructed at their mouth by basses or shallows. The shallow 

 at the entrance of the Caroni extends upwards of a mile into the 

 gulf, and presents somewhat of an impediment to the coastwise 



