SITUATION OF THE TOWN. 
377 
sions of the Orinoco, and on the hanks of the river Amazon, 
the Indians, who catch monkeys to sell them, know very 
well that they can easily succeed in taming those which 
inhabit certain islands ; while monkeys of the same species, 
caught on the neighbouring continent, die of terror or rage 
when they find themselves in the power of man. The cro- 
codiles of one lake in the llanos are cowardly, and flee even 
when in the water ; whilst those of another lake will attack 
with extreme intrepidity. It would he difficult to explain this 
difference of disposition and habits, by the mere aspect of the 
respective localities. The sharks of the port of La Guayra 
seem to furnish an analogous example. They are dangerous 
and blood-thirsty at the island opposite the coast of Caracas, 
at the Boques, at Bonavre, and at Curassao ; while they 
forbear to attack persons swimming in the ports of La 
Guayra and Santa Martha. The natives, who like the ignorant 
mass of people in every country, in seeking the explanation 
of natural phenomena, always have recourse to the marvel- 
lous, affirm that in the ports just mentioned, a. bishop gave 
his benediction to the sharks. 
The situation of La Guayra is very singular, and can only 
be compared to that of Santa Cruz in Teneriffe. The chain 
of mountains which separates the port from the high valley 
of Caracas, descends almost directly into the sea ; and the 
houses of the town are backed by a wall of steep rocks. 
There scarcely remains one hundred or one hundred and 
forty toises breadth of flat ground between the wall and the 
ocean. The town has six or eight thousand inhabitants, and 
contains only two streets, running parallel with each other 
east and west. It is commanded by the battery of Cerro 
Colorado ; and its fortifications along the sea-shore are well 
disposed, and kept in repair. The aspect of this place has in 
it something solitary and gloomy ; we seemed not to be on 
a continent, covered with vast forests, but on a rocky island, 
destitute of vegetation. With the exception of Cabo Blanco 
and the cocoa-trees of Maiquetia, no view meets the eye but 
that of the horizon, the sea, and the azure vault of heaven. 
The heat is excessive during the day, and most frequently 
during the night. The climate of La Guayra is justly con- 
sidered to be hotter than that of Cumana, Porto Cabello, 
and Coro, because the sea-breeze is less felt, and the air is 
