MAEACAIBO. 



119 



during his plundering and murderous expeditions. Being conveniently situated 

 on the west side of the channel between the Gulf of Venezuela, properly so called, 

 and the inner basin, the settlement rapidly attracted to itself all the trade 



Fig. 41. — Lake op Maeacaibo. 

 Scale 1 : 2,200,000. 



"'.h ;• %.- ■'■mi ■fe '^'.i; '-imau 



Depths. 



to 10 



Fa thorns. 



10 Fathoms 

 and upwards. 



44 Miles. 



previously enjoyed by the station of Gibraltar, which had been founded on the 

 south side of the lake, but which had been burnt by the pirate L'Olonais in 1668. 

 Since that time Maracaibo has always remained the commercial centre of the 

 whole of this region, for it commands the outlet of the vast basin comprised 

 between the Eastern Cordilleras, the Santander mountains, and the Sierra de 



