220 



caybo, are the most important parts of the 

 coast ; those that lie most to the eastward have 

 the advantage of an easier communication with 

 the Virgin Islands, Gaudeloupe, Martinique, and 

 St. Vincent. Angostura, the real name of which 

 is Santo Tome of Nueva Guyana, may be consi- 

 dered as the port of the rich province of Varinas. 

 The majestic river, on the banks of which this 

 town is built, furnishes, by its communications 

 with the Apure, the Meta, and the Rio Negro, 

 the greatest advantages for trade with Eu- 

 rope *. 



In order to form a correct idea of the importance of Vene- 

 zuela, with respect to its exports and imports of the produc- 

 tions of the old worlds we must recur to a period of external 

 peace, which preceded the revolution of Spanish America 

 twelve or fifteen years. The trade of La Guayra was then 

 in its greatest splendour. The following are the official re- 

 sults of the registers of the custom house, which throw some 

 light on the commercial state of those regions, and which 

 were not published by MM. Depons and Dauxion-Lavaysse, 

 in their voyages to Terra Fir ma, and the Isle of Trinity. 



I. Trade of La Guayra, in 1789. 



Imports, value 



Of which the duties paid 



1^525,905 piastres 



Exports, value < 



Of which the duties paid 



10*0,504 

 2,232,013 

 167,458 



A. Imports : 

 Spanish Goods 

 Foreign 



777,555 piastres 

 748,350 



* See Vol. iv, p. 584 s Vol. v, p. 512, 007, 686, 715. 



