349 



This state of the population of 1799, was communicated 

 to me, at Nueva Barcelona, by the president of the missions 

 of Piritu. Among 24,778 inhabitants there are only about 

 1,500 whites (Espanoles) and mulattoes : all the rest of the 

 population is of pure Indian race. An enumeration of 1792, 

 believed to be more exact, yielded in 16 pueblos de mission : 



Souls. 



2,196 Indian families, or 8,284 



247 whites, and free mulatto families, or ... 1,351 

 Dispersos (insulated without the villages) 2,543 



12,178 



In 16 pueblos of doctrina : 



4,944 Indian families, or 17,967 



51 white and mulatto families, or 246 



Dispersos 40 



18,253 



Consequently, in all the villages subject to the government 

 of the Observantin monks in the province of Nueva Bar- 



celona : 



Indians . 26,251 



Espanoles 1,597 



Dispersos 2,583 



Total 30,431 



Must we conclude from the comparison of the states of 

 1792, and 1799, that the Indian population of the province 

 has diminished, or does not the difference proceed from the 

 negligence of the last enumeration and the exclusion of the 



dispersos ? 



2<> State of the Missions of the Oroonoko, the Cassiquiare and 

 the Rio Negro j in the province of Spanish Guyana, 

 in 1796. 



San Felipe 52 



