282 
MISSION or CATUAEO. 
tember, we continued our descent towards the gulf of 
Cariaco. Beyond Santa Cruz a thick forest again appears ; 
and in it wo found, under tufts of melastomas, a beautiful 
fern, with csmundia leaves, which forms a new genus of tin- 
order of polvpodiaceous plants.* 
Having reached the mission of Catuaro, we were desirous 
of continuing our journey eastward by Santa Bosalia, Casa- 
nay, San Josef, Carupano, Bio Carives, and the Montana of 
Paria; but we learnt with great regret, that torrents ot’ 
rain had rendered the roads impassable, and that we should 
run the risk of losing the plants we had already gathered. 
A rich planter of cacao-trees was to accompany us from 
Santa Bosalia to the port of Carupano ; hut when the time 
of departure approached, we were informed that his affairs 
had called him to Oumana. We resolved in consequence to 
embark at Cariaco, and to return directly by the gulf, in- 
stead of passing between the island of Margareta and the 
isthmus of Araya. The Mission of Catuaro is situated on 
a very void spot. Trees of full growth still surround the 
church, and the tigers come by night to devour the poultry 
and swine belonging to the Indians. We lodged at the 
dwelling of the priest, a monk of the congregation of the 
Observance, to whom the Capuchins had confided the Mis- 
sion, because priests of their own community were wanting. 
At this Mission we met Don Alexandra Mexia, the cor- 
regidor of the district, an amiable and well-educated man. 
He gave us three Indians, who, armed with their machetes, 
were to precede us, and cut our way through the forest. In 
this country, so little frequented, the power of vegetation is 
such at the period of the great rains, that a man on horse- 
back can with difficulty make his way through narrow paths, 
covered with lianas and intertwining branches. To our 
great annoyance, the missionary of Catuaro insisted on con- 
ducting us to Cariaco ; and we could not decline the proposal. 
The movement for independence, which hud nearly broken 
out at Caracas In 1798, had been preceded and followed by 
great agitation among the slaves at Coro, Maracaibo, and 
Caraico. At the last of these places an unfortunate ne°ro 
had been condemned to die, and our host, the vicar of Catu- 
aro, was going thither to offer him spiritual comfort. During 
* Poiybotya. 
