434 



To judge of the influence which the slaves and 

 the men of colour exert in general on the public 

 tranquillity, it is not enough to know their 

 number, we must consider their accumulation 

 at certain points, and their manner of life, as 

 cultivators or inhabitants of towns. In the pro- 

 vince of Venezuela, the slaves are assembled to- 

 gether on a space of no great extent, between the 

 coast, and a line that passes (at twelve leagues 

 from the coast) through Panaquire, Yare, Sa- 

 bana de Ocumare, Villa de Cura, and Nirgua. 

 The Llanos or vast plains of Calaboso, San Car- 

 los, Guanare, and Barquecimeto, contain only 

 four or five thousand, who are scattered among 

 the farms, and employed in the care of cattle. 

 The number of freed men is very considerable ; 

 the Spanish laws and customs are favourable to 

 affranchisement. A master cannot refuse liberty 

 to a slave, who offers him the sum of three hun- 

 dred piastres, even though he may have cost him 

 double that price, on account of his industry, or 

 a particular aptitude for the trade he practises. 

 Instances of persons, who by their will bestow 

 liberty on a certain number of slaves, is more 

 common in the province of Venezuela, than in 

 any other place. A short time before we visited 

 the fertile vallies of Aragua, and the lake of 

 Valencia, a lady, who inhabited the great village 

 of Victoria, ordered her children, on her death- 

 bed, to give liberty to all her slaves, to the mini- 



