200 



The missionary of San Fernando, with whom 

 we remained two days, has the title of President 

 of the Missions of the Oroonoko. The twenty- 

 six ecclesiastics settled on the banks of the Rio 

 Negro, the Cassiquiare, the Atabapo, the Caura, 

 and the Oroonoko, are under his orders ; and 

 he depends in his turn on the guardian of the 

 convent of Nueva-Barcelona, or, as they say 

 here, the Colegio de la Purissima Conception de 

 Propaganda Fide. His village announces some- 

 what less indigence than those we had hitherto 

 found on our way, yet the number of inhabit- 

 ants does not exceed two hundred and twenty- 

 six. I have already mentioned repeatedly, that 

 the missions near the coast, and which are 

 equally subject to the Observantin monks, for 

 instance, Pilar, Caigua, Huere, and Cupapui, 

 contain each from eight hundred to two thou- 

 sand inhabitants. They are larger and finer 

 villages than we meet with in the most cultivat- 

 ed parts of Europe. We were assured, that the 

 mission of San Fernando was much more popu- 

 lous immediately after it's first foundation, than 

 it is at present. As we passed through it a 

 second time, on our return from the Rio Negro, 

 I shall here collect together the observations 

 which we made on a point of the Oroonoko, 

 that may become hereafter highly important to 

 the trade and industry of the colonies. 



San Fernando de Atabapo is placed near the 



