757 



placed an ancient fort ( los Castillos de la Vieja 

 or Antigua Guayana ) ,the first construction of 

 which goes back to the sixteenth century. In 

 this spot the bed of the river is studded with 

 rocky islands * ; and it is asserted, that it's 

 breadth is nearly six hundred and fifty toises. 

 The town is almost destroyed , but the fortifica- 

 tions <$■ subsist, and are well worthy the atten- 

 tion of the government of Terra Firma. There 

 is a magnificent view from the battery established 

 on a bluff north-west of the ancient town, which 

 at the period of great inundations is entirely 

 surrounded with water. Pools that communi- 

 cate with the Oroonoko form natural basins, 

 adapted for the reception of vessels that want 

 repairs. It is to be hoped, that, when peace is 

 restored to those countries, and a narrow policy 

 no longer checks the course of industry, those 

 basins of Vieja Guayana will be surrounded with 

 yards for building vessels. Next to the Amazon, 

 there is no river, which, from the forests through 

 which it flows, can furnish more valuable timber 

 for ship-building. This timber, drawn from the 

 great families of the laurineae, guttiferse, rutaceae, 

 and arborescent legumina, affords all the desir- 



* West of the Mas Iguanas. 

 + Los fuertes de San Francisco de Asis y del Padrasto, I 

 know not whether the remains of the Castillo de San Fernando, 

 or of Limones, still exist opposite Vieja Guayana, on the north- 

 ern bank. 



