684 



has led the inhabitants of Venezuela to regret, 

 that they refused to listen to don Domingo To- 

 var, and other virtuous citizens, who, as early as 

 the year 1795, lifted up their voices in the 

 cabildo of Caraccas, to prevent the introduction 

 of Blacks, and to propose means that might have 

 meliorated their condition. 



After having slept on the 10th of June in an 

 island in the middle of the river, I believe that 

 called Acaru by Father Caulin, we passed the 

 mouth of the Rio Caura. This, the Aruy, and 

 the Carony, are the largest tributary streams, 

 that the Oroonoko receives on it's right bank. 

 Having been able during my abode in the mis- 

 sions of Saint Francis, to collect many geogra- 

 phical materials respecting the Caura, I have 

 traced a particular map of it*. All the Chris- 

 tian settlements are now found near the mouth of 

 the river ; and the villages of San Pedro, Aripao, 

 Urbani, and Guaraguaraico, succeed each other 

 at the distance of a few leagues. The first, 

 which is the most populous, contains however 

 but two hundred and fifty souls. That of San 

 Luis de Guaraguaraico is a colony of Negroes, 

 either freed or fugitives from Essequibo, which 

 merits the particular attention of government. 

 It can never be sufficiently recommended, to 



* Atlas geogr., PI. 20. See above, on the Rio Caura, p. 34, 

 and 606. 



