94 



GULF OF CARIACO. 



aco as expeditiously as possible on account of the 

 fever. Embarking early in the morning, they pro- 

 ceeded westward along the river of Carenicuar, 

 which flows through a deep marshy soil covered 

 with gardens and plantations of cotton. The Indian 

 women were washing their linen with the fruit of 

 the parapara (Sapindus saponaria). Contrary winds, 

 accompanied with heavy rain and thunder, rendered 

 the voyage disagreeable ; more especially as the 

 canoe was narrow and overloaded with raw sugar,, 

 plantains, cocoanuts, and passengers. Swarms of 

 flamingoes, egrets, and cormorants were flying to- 

 wards the shore, while the alcatras, a large species 

 of pelican, less affected by the weather, continued 

 fishing in the bay. The general depth of the sea is 

 from 288 to 320 feet ; but at the eastern extremity 

 of the gulf it is only from nineteen to twenty-five 

 feet for an extent of seventeen miles, and there is 

 a sandbank which at low water resembles a small 

 island. They crossed the part where the hot springs 

 rush from the bottom of the ocean ; but it being high 

 water the change of temperature was not very per- 

 ceptible. The contrary winds continuing, they were 

 forced to land at Pericautral, a small farm on the 

 south side of the gulf. The coast, although cov- 

 ered by a beautiful vegetation, was almost destitute 

 of human labour, and scarcely possessed seven hun- 

 dred inhabitants. The cocoa-tree is the principal 

 object of cultivation. This palm thrives best in the 

 neighbourhood of the sea, and like the sugar-cane, the 

 plantain, the mammee-apple, and the alligator-pear, 

 may be watered either with fresh or salt water. In 

 other parts of America it is generally nourished 

 around farm-houses ; but along the Gulf of Cariaco 

 it forms real plantations, and at Cum ana they talk 

 of a hacienda de coco, as they do of a hacienda de 

 canna, or de cacao. In moist and fertile ground it 

 begins to bear abundantly the fourth year ; but in 

 dry soils it does not produce fruit until the tenth. 



