LA GUAYRA. ^ 31 



to the heat, produces annually inflammatory 

 fevers, which degenerate, in twenty-four 

 or thirty-six hours, into putrid fevers, that 

 are chiefly detrimental to those who are 

 newly arrived from Europe, and the cold 

 regions of America ; for those who are sea- 

 soned to the climate are seldom attacked, 

 though they do not enjoy a good state of 

 health there. 



This town is badly built, but tolerably 

 well fortified : it had a population of seven 

 thousand souls in 1807, comprising a garri- 

 son of eight hundred men. There is but 

 one church in it, and the rector is also 

 chaplain to the garrison. La Guayra had 

 not a municipal administration of Cabildo 

 before the revolution; like the greater part 

 of other towns in this country, it was go- 

 verned by the commander of the fortress, 

 who united in his person the civil and mili- 

 tary authority ; but there was an appeal 



