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The alcatras, a large species of pelican, alone 

 continued peaceably to fish in the middle of 

 the Gulf. There were eighteen passengers of 

 us ; and we had much difficulty to find room 

 for our instruments and collections in a narrow 

 canoe*, overloaded as it was with raw sugar, 

 plantains, and cocoa-nuts. The water was up 

 to the boat's gunwale. The Gulph of Cariaco is 

 almost every where forty-five or fifty fathoms 

 deep ; but at it's eastern extremity, near Cura- 

 guaca, for an extent of five leagues, the lead 

 does not indicate more than three or four fa- 

 thoms. Here is found the baxo de la Cotua, 

 a sand-bank, which at low water appears like 

 a small island. The canoes that carry pro- 

 vision to Cumana sometimes ground on this 

 bank ; but always without danger, because the 

 sea there is never rough or heavy. We crossed 

 that part of the Gulf, where hot springs gush 

 from the bottom of the sea. It was the time 

 of flood, so that the change of temperature 

 was less perceptible : besides, our canoe drove 

 too much toward the southern shore. It may 

 be supposed, that strata of water must be found 

 of different temperatures, according to the 

 greater or less depth, and according as the 

 mixture of the hot waters with those of the Gulf 

 is accelerated by the winds and currents. The 



* Lancha. 



