BOCA DB AFUEBA. 149 



archipelago of the Lesser Antilles and Bahama Islands, 

 we are surprised to find those islands desert, which are near 

 the coast of Cumana, Barcelona, and Caracas. They would 

 long have ceased to be so had they been under the dominion 

 of any other government than that to which they belong. 

 Nothing can engage men to circumscribe their industry 

 within the narrow limits of a small island, when a neigh- 

 bouring continent offers them greater advantages. 



"We perceived, at sunset, the two points of the Roca de 

 afuera, rising like towers in the midst of the ocean. A 

 survey taken with the compass, placed the most easterly 

 of the points or roques at 19 west of the western cape 

 of Orchila. The clouds continued long accumulated over 

 that island, and showed its position from afar. The influ- 

 ence of a small tract of land in condensing the vapours 

 suspended at an elevation of 800 toises, is a very extra- 

 ordinary phenomenon, although familiar to all mariners. 

 From this accumulation of clouds, the position ol the lowest 

 island may be recognized at a great distance. 



On the 29th November, we still saw very distinctly, at 

 sunrise, the summit of the Silla of Caracas just rising above 

 the horizon of the sea. At noon everything denoted a change 

 of weather in the direction of the north : the atmosphere 

 suddenly cooled to 12'6, while the sea maintained a tem- 

 perature of 25'6, at its surface. At the moment of the 

 observation of noon, the oscillations of the horizon, crossed 

 by streaks or black bands of very variable size, produced 

 changes of refraction from 3 to 4. The sea became 

 rough in very calm weather, and everything announced a 

 stormy passage between Cayman Island and Cape St. 

 Antonio. On the 30th the wind veered suddenly to N.N.E., 

 and the surge rose to a considerable height. Northward, a 

 darkish blue tint was observable on the sky, the rolling ot 

 our small vessel was violent, and we perceived amidst the 

 dashing of the waves, two seas crossing each other, one from 

 the north and the other from N.N.E. "Waterspouts were 

 formed at the distance of a mile, and were carried rapidly 

 from N N.E. to N.N.W. Whenever the waterspout drew 

 near us, we felt the wind grow sensibly cooler. Towards 

 evening, owing to the carelessness of our American cook, 

 our deck took tire j but fortunately it was soon extinguished. 



