566 



in this space fourteen Christian settlements, in 

 part very populous; but from the mouths of the 

 rivers Pauto and Casanare, for a space of more 

 than fifty leagues, the Meta is infested by the 

 Guahiboes *, who are savages. 



The navigation of this river was much more 

 active in the time of the Jesuits, and particularly 

 during the expedition of Iturriaga, in 1756, than 

 it is at present. Missionaries of the same order 

 then governed the banks of the Meta and of the 

 Oroonoko. The villages of Macuco, Zurimena, 

 and Casimena, were founded by the Jesuits, as 

 well as those of Uruana, Encaramada, and 

 Carichana. 



These fathers had conceived the project of 

 forming a series of missions from the junction of 

 the Casanare with the Meta to that of the Meta 

 with the Oroonoko. A narrow zone of culti- 

 vated land would have crossed the vast steppes, 

 that separate the forests of Guyana from the 

 Andes of New Grenada. 



At the period of the harvest of turtles' eggs, 

 not only the flour of Santa Fe descended the 

 river, but the salt of Chita the cotton cloth 

 of San Gil, and the printed counterpanes of 

 Socorro. To give some security to the little 



* I find the word written Guajibos, Guahivos^ and Guagivos. 

 They call themselves Gua-iva. 



t To the East of Labranza Grande, and the North- West 

 of Pore, now the capital of the province of Casanare. 



