PORTO CABELLO. 155 



the use of opium, benzoin, and alcoholic draughts liad CHAP. xiv. 



been sul)stitutcd for the old del)ilitating method, the 



mortality had been reduced to 20 in 100 among Euro- 

 peans, and 10 among natives. 



The heat of Porto Cahello is not so intense as that of ir,.at of 

 La Guayra, the breeze being stronger and more regular, i'"'''o 



. o ' Cubtrllo* 



and the air having more room to circulate between the 

 coast and the mountains. The cause of the insalubrity 

 of the atmosphere is therefore to be sought for in the 

 exhalations that arise from the shore to the eastward, 

 where at the beginning of the rainy season tertian fevers 

 prevail, which easily degenerate into the continued 

 typhoid. It has been observed that the mestizoes 

 employed in the salt-works have a yellower skin when 

 they have suffered several successive years from these 

 fevei's. The fishermen assert, that the unwholesomencss 

 of the air is owing to the overflowings of the rivers, and 

 not to inundations of the sea ; and it has been found 

 that the extended cultivation along the banks of the Kio 

 Estevan has rendered them less pestilential. 



The salt-works are similar to those of Araya, near 

 Cumana ; but the earth at Porto Cabello contains less 

 muriate of soda. As the employment is Tery unhealthy, 

 the poorest persons alone engage in it. The defence of 

 the coasts of Terra Fir ma was maintained at six points, 

 the castle of San Antonio at Cumana, the Morro de 

 Nueva Barcelona, the fortifications of La Guayra, Porto 

 Cabello, Fort St Charles, and Carthagena. Next to 

 Carthagena the most important place is Porto Cabello. 

 The harbour is one of the finest in the world, resembling 

 a basin or little inland lake, opening to the westward by 

 a passage so narrow that only one vessel can anchor at a 

 time, and is defended by batteries. The upper part of 

 it is marshy ground filled with stagnant and putrid 

 water. At the time of Humboldt's visit the number of 

 inhabitants was 9000. 



Leaving Porto Cabello on the 1st March at sunrise, 

 our travellers were astonished at the number of boats boats 

 which they saw laden with fruit for the market. They 



