193 



It results from this statement that the pro- 

 vinces of Caraccas, Maracaybo, Cumana^ and 

 Barcelona, that is, the maritime provinces of 

 the north, are the best peopled of the ancient 

 Capitania-general ; but, in comparing this rela- 

 tive population with that of New Spain, where 

 the two intendancies of Mexico and Puebla 

 alone contain, on an extent scarcely equal to 

 the superficies of the province of Caraccas, a 

 greater actual population than that of the whole 

 republic of Columbia, we see that the Mexican 

 intendancies, which, with respect to the con- 

 centration of their culture, occupy but the 7th 

 or 8th rank (Zacatecas and Guadalaxara), con- 

 tain more inhabitants to the square league than 

 the province of Caraccas. The average of the 

 relative population of Cumana, Barcelona, Ca- 

 raccas, and Maracaybo, is 56 ; and, as 6200 

 square leagues, that is, one half of the extent of 

 these four provinces, are almost desert steppes 

 (Llanos,) we find, in reckoning the superficies 

 and the feeble population of the steppes, 102 

 inhabitants to the square league. An analogous 

 modification gives the province of Caraccas 



* The superficial extent of the steppes of these four pro- 

 vinces is 6219 square leagues, 20 to a degree. The follow- 

 ing statements may enable us to judge of the agricultural 

 state of those districts in which the steppes present such 

 great obstacles to the rapid progress of population. (Vol. vi. 

 pp. 59 — 68.) Province 



VOL. VI. O 



