185 



The city of Cumana is backed by this group, 

 which was formerly an island of the gulf of 

 Cariaco. That part of the plain, which is north 

 of the city, is called Plaga Chica, and extends 

 eastward as far as Punt a Delgada ; where a 

 narrow valley, covered with yellow gomphrena, 

 still marks the point of the ancient outlet of the 

 waters. This valley, the entrance of which is 

 defended by no exterior works, is the point, 

 where the place is most exposed to a military 

 attack. An enemy might pass in perfect safety 

 between the sandy point of Barigon * and the 

 mouth of the Manzanares ; where the sea, near 

 the entrance of the gulf of Cariaco, is forty or 

 fifty fathoms deep, and farther to the south-east, 

 even as much as eighty-seven fathoms. A land- 

 ing might be effected near Punta Delgada ; and 

 Fort St. Antonio and the city of Cumana turn- 

 ed, without any apprehension from the western 

 batteries formed at Plaga Chica ^, at the mouth 

 of the river, and at Cerro Colorado. 



The hill of calcareous breccia, which we have 

 * just regarded as an island in the ancient gulf, is 

 covered with a thick forest of columnar cactus 

 and opuntia. Some, thirty or forty feet high, 

 covered with lichens, and divided into several 

 branches in the form of candelabras, wear a 



* Punta Arenas del Barigon, to the south of the castle of 

 Araya. 



t To the west of Los Serritos. 



