44 



Mangles. We shall examine in another place, 

 under a geological point of view, this bank of 

 sand, which surrounds the rocks of Testigos and 

 Margaretta; and shall show, that the latter 

 island was formerly united, by means of Coche 

 and Lobos, to the Peninsula of Chacopapa. 



The Guayquerias belong to that tribe of civil- 

 ized Indians, who inhabit the coasts of Marga- 

 retta, and the suburbs of the city of Cumana. 

 Next to the Caribs of Spanish Guyana, it is the 

 finest race of men in Terra Firma. They enjoy 

 several privileges, because from the earliest 

 times of the conquest they remained faithful 

 friends to the Castilians. The king of Spain 

 names them in his public acts, " his dear, noble, 

 and loyal Guayquerias." The Indians of the 

 two canoes we had met had left the port of Cu- 

 mana during the night. They were going in 

 search of timber to the cedar * forests, which 

 extend from Gape San Jose farther than the 

 mouth of Rio Carupano. They gave us some 

 fresh cocoa nuts, and very beautifully colored 

 fish of the chsetodon genus^. What riches to 

 our eyes were contained in the canoes of these 

 poor Indians ! Broad spreading leaves of vijao J 

 covered bunches of plantains. The scaly cuirass 



* Cedrela odorata, Lin. 

 t Bandouli&res. 

 $ H«licdnia bihak 



