CUMAN A. 



495 



markable for the richness and luxuriance of its vegeta- 

 ■* tion. A considerable river flows from tlie cavern ; and 

 there also issue from it the cries of millions of night 

 birds, to whom it serves as a habitation. These sounds 

 are ascribed by the Indians to the spirits of the dead, 

 who can find a passage to the other world only by so- 

 journing for a time in this gloomy abode. This privi- 

 lege, however, is granted only to the virtuous, and the 

 period of their detention is proportioned to the extent 

 of their offences. Hence it is the practice of the Indi- 

 ans to repair to the cavern, to ascertain whether their 

 deceased friends have been ranked among the blessed, 

 and if they distinguish their voice, they conclude that 

 some impediment has been thrown in the way of their 

 final liberation. In the mountains of Cumana, but par- 

 ticularly those of Tumeriquiri, there is a stratum about 

 1 8 feet thick of limestone and argillaceous earth, mixed 

 with a very considerable quantity of coal. Above this 

 stratum is frequently found another, apparently modern, 

 of sandy earth, which is a mass of shells, quartz, and se- 

 condary limestone. At the depth of about 30 fathoms, 

 these strata appear to be of pure limestone. A careful 

 examination, however, will soon detect the quartz, and 

 the limestone now disappears by degrees, till scarcely 

 any thing else but quartz can be perceived. Mines 

 are said to have been successfully wrought in the valley 

 of Neyva ; and it has been supposed, that there is a great 

 quantity of gold in the country from Torayena to La 

 Plata. Mines of coal also occur in this province. 



Numerous rivers, streams, and brooks, intersect Cu- 

 mana in every direction. The rivers Neveri and Man- 

 sanares, which are small, and have a gentle current, 

 dischai'ge themselves into the sea on the north. Those 

 which flow into the Gulf of Paria, and into the sea on 

 the east, have much longer courses. The Colorado, 

 the Guatator, the Caripa, the Punceres, the Tiger, the 

 Guayuata, discharge themselves into the Guarapicha, 

 which runs into the Gulf of Paria, and is navigable 

 about 80 miles from its mouth. The remaining rivers 

 flow to the south, and join the Orinoco. 



But though these natural canals afford the most ad- 

 mirable means for irrigating the land, and transporting 

 its produce, yet the natural fertility of the soil has re- 

 ceived almost no aid from the hand of cultivation. From 

 the river Unara to the city of Cumana, the land has 

 considerable fertility ; but it is poor and sandy, from 

 the point of Araya for about 25 leagues to the east. It 

 is, however, an inexhaustible mine both of marine and 

 mineral salt. The principal saline grounds are at 

 Araya, and those of the Gulf of Paria or Triste, between 

 the settlements of Iraca and Soro. The lands on the 

 banks of the Orinoco are fit only for pasturing cattle ; 

 but all the rest of the government possesses the most 

 surprising fertility. The principal productions are 

 maize, which supplies the want of wheat ; yuca root, 

 which affords another kind of bread ; cazabe, cacao 

 sugar canes. The quantity of sugar produced is suffi- 

 cient only for the consumption of the province ; but 

 on an average of four years, from 1799 to 1803, the 

 quantity of cacao exported from the province amounted 

 to 1 8,000 fanegas, of the weight of 50 kilogrammes 

 each, or 110 pounds avoirdupois.* The most precious 

 trees, the guiacum, the anacardium, Brazil and Cam- 

 peachy wood, are found even on the coast of Paria. 

 Abundance of shell fish, of various kinds, and the finest 

 flavour, is obtained in every part of the coast. A great 

 quantity is salted, and carried into the interior; and 



the province of Venezuela alone, is supplied with above Cumans. 

 3000 quintals annually. 



The principal colonies dependent on Cumana lie on 

 the western coast, as Barcelona, Piritu, Clarinas, &c. 

 In the valley of Cumanacoa, about 12 leagues to the 

 south-west of Cumana, are the tobacco plantations be- 

 longing to the king. The tobacco, which is here pro- 

 duced, is so decidedly superior to that which is raised 

 in every other part of Terra Firma, that the cigars made 

 of it bring double the price of any other. The Indian 

 villages of San Fernando, Arenas, and Aricagua, are si- 

 tuated on the most fertile territory in the environs of 

 Cumanacoa. The fertile but uncultivated valleys of 

 Carepa, Guanaguana, Cocoyar, &c. are situated still 

 farther in the interior. 



The refugees from Trinidad, who inhabit the coast 

 of the Parian Gulf from the mouth of the Guarapicha 

 to the most northern mouth of the Orinoco, frequently 

 make great progress in cultivation, owing principally 

 to the proximity of the British settlement, from whom 

 they receive at a cheap rate, and even upon credit, all 

 the iron work necessary for their establishments, and to 

 whom they dispose of their commodities at prices far 

 superior to those which prevail in the Spanish ports. 



The climate of Cumana is healthy, though it is scarce- 

 ly ever cool. In the town of Cumana, Reaumur's ther- 

 mometer stands in July at 23° in the day-time, and 19° 

 during the night, the maximum being 27°, and the mi- 

 nimum 17°. The hygrometer of Deluc indicates from 

 50 to 53 degrees in the same month, the maximum be- 

 ing 66°, and the minimum 46'°. 



The governor, who has his residence at Cumana, is 

 appointed for 5 years. He nominates to all the va- 

 cant benefices in the administration of the finances ; 

 in all commercial regulations, he acts under the orders 

 of the intendant ; and in all military concerns, and fo- 

 reign political relations, he is subordinate to the cap- 

 tain-general of the Caraccas. The principal cities and 

 towns of this province, are the capital Cumana, (see the 

 next article, ) Cumanacoa, Coriaco, New Barcelona, and 

 Conception del Pao. Cumanacoa, called San Baltasar 

 de hs Arias by the government, is situated in a valley 

 of the same name, about 14 leagues south-east of Cu- 

 mana, in west longitude 63° 58' 35", and north latitude 

 10° lo v 11". Its climate is good, and its waters have a 

 diuretic quality. It has a population of 4200. Coria- 

 co, otherwise called San Philippo de Austria in some 

 official papers, is situated on a river of the same name. 

 Its principal production is cotton, which is the best in 

 Terra Firma, and of which it furnishes 3000 quintals 

 annually. A little cacao and some sugar are also raised. 

 The population is 6'500. New Barcelona, founded in 

 1634, is situated in west longitude 64-° 44' 30", and 

 north latitude 10° 6' 52", in a plain about a league from 

 the mouth of the Neveri, and on its left bank. It is 

 neither a handsome nor a pleasant town. Its unpaved 

 streets are loaded with mud in rainy weather, and co- 

 vered with dust in the dry season, and every part of the 

 town is annoyed with the stench of its numerous hog 

 sties. Great quantities of meat were salted here, and 

 exported to the neighbouring islands, particularly to the 

 Havannah and Cuba, at a profit of a hundred per cent. 

 The hides and tallow formed also another article of 

 trade, but it is now much diminished. The Cataloni- 

 ans who reside here, carry on both a legal and an illicit 

 traffic to a great extent. They bring from Trinidad 

 contraband goods, of which Barcelona is the entrepot, 



* See Humboldt's Political Essay on the Kingdom of Ncv Spain, vol. iii. p. 24 



