710 



enemy turning the place, and penetrating into 

 the province by the small western mouths of the 

 Oroonoko, the Canos of Macareo and Manaino. 

 On a river, the delta of which begins to be form- 

 ed at the distance of forty-six leagues from the 

 ocean, the most advantageous situation for a 

 great town depends on two circumstances, it's 

 military defence, and the interests of commerce 

 and of agriculture. Commerce requires, that 

 the town should lie as near as possible to the 

 great mouth of the river, Boca de Navios ; while 

 military security leads to the preference of a spot 

 above the formation of the delta, west of the point 

 where the Cano Manamo separates from the 

 principal trunk, and communicates by numerous 

 bifurcations with the eight secondary mouths 

 (bocas chicas) between the island of Congrejos 

 and the mouth of the Rio Guarapiche. The situ- 

 ations both of Vleja and Nueva Guayana fulfil 

 the latter condition ; and that of the ancient 

 town has the farther advantage of covering to a 

 certain point the fine establishments of the Cata- 

 lonian Capuchins of Carony. The settlements 

 may be attacked, by landing on the right bank 

 of the Brazo Imaiaca ; but the mouth of the 

 Carony, where the canoes feel the commotion of 

 the waters of the neighbouring cataracts (salto 

 de Carofri), is defended by the forts of Vieja 

 Guayana. 



I have entered into these minute details, be- 



