360 



came wild, but the cultivated plants did not. 

 Maize in America, like wheat in Europe, con- 

 nected with man since his first migrations, 

 appears to be preserved only by his care. We 

 sometimes see these nourishing gramina dis- 

 seminate themselves ; but when left to nature, 

 the birds prevent their reproduction by des- 

 troying the seeds. The two slaves of the isle 

 of Caraccas long escaped punishment; it was 

 difficult to ascertain a crime committed in so 

 lonely a spot. One of these blacks is now the 

 hangman at Cumana. He informed against 

 his accomplice, and an executioner being want- 

 ed, he obtained pardon on condition, according 

 to the barbarous custom of the country, of 

 hanging all the prisoners on whom sentence of 

 death had been pronounced long before. It 

 seems difficult to believe, that there are men 

 sufficiently ferocious, to preserve their lives at 

 this price ; and execute, with their own hands to 

 day, those whom they informed against yes- 

 terday. 



We quitted a spot that left such painful re- 

 membrances, and anchored for some hours in 

 the road of New Barcelona, at the mouth of 

 the river Neveri, of which the Indian (Cuma- 

 nagoto) name is Enipiricuar. This river is 

 full of crocodiles, which sometimes continue 

 « their excursions into the open sea, especially in 

 calm weather. They are of the species com- 



