RIO GUAURABO. 307 
the eastern extremity of the Jardinillos, on which 
many vessels are lost. They are nearly destitute 
of shrubs, the shipwrecked crews having cut them 
down to make signals. Next day, turning round 
the passage between the northern cape of the Cayo 
and the island of Cuba, they entered a sea free 
from breakers, and of a dark-blue colour ; the in- 
crease of temperature in which indicated a great 
augmentation of depth. The thermometer was at 
79°2°; whereas in the shoal-water of the Jardinillos 
it had been seen as low as 72°7°, the air being from 
77° to 80°6° during the day. Passing in succession 
the marshy coast of Camareos, the entrance of the 
Bahia de Xagua, and the mouth of the Rio San Juan, 
along a naked and desert coast, they entered on the 
14th the Rio Guaurabo to land their pilot. Dis- 
embarking in the evening, they made preparations 
for observing the passage of certain stars over the 
meridian, but were interrupted by some merchants 
that had dined on board a foreign ship newly ar- 
rived, and who invited the strangers to accompany 
them to the town; which they did, mounted two 
and two on the same horse. The road to Trinidad 
is nearly five miles in length, over a level plain 
covered with a beautiful vegetation, to which the 
Miraguama palm, a species of corypha, gave a pe- 
euliar character. The houses are situated on a 
steep declivity, about 746 feet above the level of 
the sea, and command a magnificent view of the 
ocean, the two ports, a forest of palms, and the moun- 
tains of San Juan. The travellers were received 
with the kindest hospitality by the administrator of 
the Real Hacienda, M. Munoz. The Teniente Go- 
vernador, who was nephew to the celebrated astro- 
6 
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