199 



square leagues, as being occupied by the Llanos 

 and the forests of Guyana, and therefore pre- 

 senting great obstacles to agricultural labours* 

 we should still obtain a population of 6 millions 

 for the remaining 9700 square leagues. Those 

 who, like me, have lived long beneath the fine 

 sky of the tropics, will find nothing exagge- 

 rated in these calculations ; for I suppose for 

 the portion the most easily cultivated, a rela- 

 tive population equal to that which exists in 

 the intendancies of Puebla and Mexico*, full 

 of barren mountains, and extending towards 

 the coast of the Pacific, over regions which are 

 almost desert. If the territories of Cumana, 

 Barcelona, Caraccas, Maracaybo, Varinas and 

 Guyana, should one day be fortunate enough to 

 enjoy good provincial and municipal institu- 

 tions, as confederated states, they will not re- 

 quire a century and a half to attain a popula- 

 tion of six millions of inhabitants. Venezuela, 

 the eastern part of the Republic of Columbia, 

 would not, even with nine millions, have a more 

 considerable population than Old Spain; and 

 how can it be doubted that that part of Vene- 

 zuela, which is most fertile and easy of cultiva- 

 tion, that is, the 10,000 square leagues remain- 

 ing, after excluding the savannahs (Llanos) and 



* These two intendances contain however, together, 5520 

 square leagues, and a relative population of 508 inhabitants 

 to the square marine league. 



