365 



ting out from the Amazon, place San Carlos * 

 and San Jose de Maravitanos too far to the 

 north, while the Spaniards, setting out from the 

 coast of Caraccas, assign to them too southern 

 a position. This consideration may be applied 

 to all the maps of the colonies. If we know 

 where they have been drawn, and in what di- 

 rection the persons arrived at the frontiers, we 

 may foresee to what side the errors in latitude 

 and longitude will lean. 



We lodged at San Carlos with the commander 

 of the fort, who is a lieutenant of militia. From 

 the top of a gallery of the house we enjoyed a 

 delightful view of three islands of great length^, 

 and covered with thick vegetation. The river 

 runs in a straight line from north to south, as if 

 it's bed had been dug by the hand of man. The 

 sky being constantly cloudy gives those coun- 

 tries a solemn and gloomy character. We 

 found in the village a few juvia trees ; that ma- 

 jestic plant, which furnishes the triangular nuts 

 called in Europe the almonds of the Amazon. 

 We have made it known by the name of the 

 bertholletia excelsa. The trees acquire the 

 height of thirty feet. 



* Thus the manuscript map of Mr. Requena, founded on 

 the astronomical observations of the Portugueze, places San 

 Carlos 1° 27' more to the north than the Spanish maps, found- 

 ed on the journals of Solano's expedition. 



t The islands of Zaruma, Jmipa, and Mibita, or Mine. 



