108 



very remarkable for their form, and peculiar to 

 the peninsula of Araya. We arrived too late 

 at the Laguna chica, to visit another rock farther 

 east, and celebrated by the name of the Laguna 

 grande, or del Obispo # . We contented our- 

 selves with admiring it from the height of the 

 mountains, that command the view ; and, ex- 

 cepting the ports of Ferrol and Acapulco, there 

 is perhaps none of a more extraordinary con- 

 figuration. It is an inland gulf two miles and 

 a half long from east to west, and one mile broad. 

 The rocks of micaslate, that form the entrance 

 of the port, leave a free passage only two hun- 

 dred and fifty toises broad. The water is every 

 where from fifteen to twenty-five fathoms deep. 

 It is probable, that the government of Cumana 

 will one day take advantage of the possession of 

 this inland gulf> and of that of Mochima eight 

 sea leagues east of the bad road of Nueva Bar- 

 celona. The family of Mr. Navarete waited for 

 us with impatience on the beach ; and, though 

 our boat carried a large sail, we did not arrive 

 at Maniquarez before night. 



We prolonged our stay at Cumana but a 



* According to Mr. Fidalgo, lat. 10° 35', long. 0° 7' 50" 

 east of Cumana. See above, vol. iii, p. 21. 



f This is a long narrow gulf, three miles from north to 

 south, similar to the fiords of Norway. Lat. at the entrance 

 10° 23' 45" ; long. 10' west of Cumana, and 3' west of Puerto 

 Escondido. 



