399 



frequent. The streets of La Guayra appeared 

 to me in general to be tolerably clean, with the 

 exception of the quarter of the slaughter-houses. 

 The sea-side has no beach, on which the re- 

 mains of fuci and of molluscse are heaped up ; 

 but the neighbouring coast, which stretches to 

 the east toward Cape Codera, and consequently 

 to the windward of La Guayra, is extremely 

 unhealthy. Intermitting, putrid, and bilious 

 fevers often prevail at Macuto, and at Cara- 

 valleda; and, when from time to time the 

 breeze is interrupted by a westerly wind, the 

 little bay of Cotia, which I shall often have oc- 

 casion to mention, sends an air loaded with 

 putrid emanations toward the coast of La Guay- 

 ra, notwithstanding the rampart opposed by 

 Cape Blanco. 



The irritability of the organs being so differ- 

 ent in the people of the north and those of the 

 south, it cannot be doubted, that with a great- 

 er freedom of commerce, and a more frequent 

 and intimate communication between countries 

 situate in different climates, the yellow fever 

 will extend it's ravages in the New World. It 

 is even probable, that the concurrence of so 

 many exciting causes, and their action on in- 

 dividuals so differently organized, may give 

 birth to new forms of disease, and new devi- 

 ations of the vital powers. This is one of the 

 evils, that inevitably attend a rising civilization. 



