252 



of Madrid, from views of suspicions policy, was 

 apprehensive, that the salt-works of Tortuga 

 would have given rise to settlements, by means 

 of which an illicit trade would have been carried 

 on with Terra Fir ma. 



The royal administration of the salt-works of 

 Araya dates only from the year 1792. Before 

 that period they were in the hands of Indian 

 fishermen, who manufactured salt at their plea- 

 sure, and sold it, paying the government the 

 moderate sum of three hundred piastres. The 

 price of the fanega was then four reals* ; but the 

 salt was extremely impure, gray, mixed with 

 earthy particles, and surcharged with muriat and 

 sulphat of magnesia. As the manufacture or 

 labor of the salt-makers was also carried on in 

 the most irregular manner, salt was often want- 

 ed for curing meat and fish ; a circumstance that 

 has a powerful influence in these countries on 

 the progress of industry, as the lower class of 

 people and the slaves live on fish, and a small 

 portion of tasajo. Since the province of Cuma- 

 na has become dependant on the intendancy of 

 Caraccas, the sale of salt is under the excise ; 

 and the fanega, which the Guayquerias sold at 



* In this narrative, as well as in the Political Essay on 

 New Spain, all the prices are reckoned in piastres, and silver 

 reals (reales de plata). Eight of these reals are equivalent 

 to a piastre, or one hundred and five sous, French money [4$. 

 4£eJ. English]. Nouv. Esp. vol. ii, p. 519, 616, and 866. 



