80 



TOBACCO. 



thermometer did not rise above 69*8°, but from noon 



to three o'clock attained the height of from 78-8° to 

 80*6°. About two, large black clouds regularly 

 formed, and poured down torrents of rain, accom- 

 panied by thunder. At five the rain ceased, and the 

 sun reappeared ; but at eight or nine the fog again 

 commenced. In consequence of the humidity, the 

 vegetation, although not very diversified, is remark- 

 able for its freshness. The soil is highly fertile ; 

 but the most valuable production of the district is 

 tobacco, the cultivation of which, in the province of 

 Cumana, is nearly confined to this valley. 



Next to the tobacco of Cuba and the Rio Negro, 

 that grown here is the most aromatic. The seed is 

 sown in the beginning of September, and the coty- 

 ledons appear on the eighth day. The young plants 

 are then covered with large leaves to protect them 

 from the sun. A month or two after, they are trans- 

 ferred to a rich and well-prepared soil, and disposed 

 in rows, three or four feet distant from each other. 

 The whole is carefully weeded, and the principal 

 stalk is several times topped, until the leaves are 

 mature, when they are gathered. They are then 

 suspended by threads of the Agave Americana, and 

 their ribs taken out ; after which they are twisted. 

 The cultivation of tobacco was a royal monopoly, 

 and employed about 1500 persons. Indigo is also 

 raised in the valley of Cumanacoa. 



This singular plain appeared to be the bed of an 

 ancient lake. The surrounding mountains are all 

 precipitous, and the soil contains pebbles and bivalve 

 shells. One of the gaps in the range, they were in- 

 formed, was inhabited by jaguars, which passed the 

 day in caves, and roamed about the plantations at 

 night. The preceding year one of them had de- 

 voured a horse belonging to a farm in the neighbour- 

 hood. The groans of the dying animal awoke the 

 slaves, who went out armed with lances and large 



