Venezuelan International Law. 65 



" account of having to reach the Orinoco as quickly as 



" possible for, although they can get plenty of water 



'■' from the Guaina, they cannot get grass, there being 



" no plains in those regions. 



****** 



•* Communication with the Capital of the Orinoco can 

 " be held throughout the year, through the branches, 

 " and without going out into the sea, by means of 

 " pirogues, and, during a great part of the year, even 

 " with barges" (pp. 86, 87). ' 



It may be well to mention that the visit of the Span- 

 iards to the Moruca and Pomaroon, in 1779, was duly 

 reported to the Governor of Essequibo, who noted it for 

 a6lion on his part. 



Inciarte seems to have eventually been placed in nomi- 

 nal charge of the lower Orinoco, as he wrotea Reportupon 

 it, on the 5th of December, 1783. He makes it clear, 

 however, that the Indians preferred to escape from 

 Spanish domination. The following extraft from his 

 Report shows that the Indians of the lower Orinoco 

 were beyond the control of the Spaniards: — 



" The four Indian towns of Buena Vista, Maruanta, 

 " Orocopiche and Panapana, were very considerable 

 " when first founded, on account of the large numbers of 

 " their inhabitants, but they are now so reduced and 

 ** fallen off that there are scarcely enough Indians in them 

 " to cultivate in common the tillable lands necessary 

 " for their maintenance, on account of the great distance 

 " at which they are, for which reason those towns, in- 

 " stead of increasing, have greatly fallen off through the 

 " continual flight of the Indians to the lands of the lower 

 " Orinoco, the consequence of this being, besides the 



I 



