the creek of Caruzina. It proceeds from the Orinoco, runs by the back of the mountains, and thence takes its course S.E. thus forming of the bank of the Orinoco an island, on which the Guayanos Indians have built a hamlet subject to the Indian Gemericabe. This creek or branch has plenty of water at its entrance, but the point of the rising grounds of Itamaca causes it to be hardly navigable for half a league. This creek spreads into an infinite number of branches, and therefore it might be of great use to agriculture, the neighbouring land lying too high for inundation. The Spaniards have recently entertained the project of driving away the Guayanos Indians, of building villages, and of erecting batteries for the defence of the Orinoco. The river Itamaca, on the N. side of the Orinoco, is next to be described. Its mouth is narrow, but deep, having from 16 to 18 feet water. There is a bank in the Orinoco running across the mouth of the Itamaca, with the exception of a very narrow passage, which requires, especially at low water, great precaution in the navigation. This river, six miles from its mouth, divides into two branches, the first of which goes to the W. and runs through the valleys formed by the mountains, the other runs to the Savanna, near the mission of Polomar. The river is navigable up to where it thus branches off, for sinall craft and boats. The W. point of the Itamaca islands is 2 leagues from the river. We will here again descend the Orinoco to where the Itamaca and Zacoopana branches unite, for the purpose of describing the latter, and afterwards re-ascend in making the tour of the island of Juncos, leaving it to our fleet. From the E. point of Juncos runs out a flat to the N. making a very narrow but deep passage for vessels, which should keep close to the N. coast. Within the E. point of the island of Juncos, is that of Pericos, which has very lately disappeared. It formed two channels; that to the S. was almost choked by the sand, that to the N. was narrow, and afforded but a difficult passage for vessels. This island was small and sandy, it was seen at ebb-tide, and covered in the swellings of the OriIts disappearance was not occasioned by any earthquake or extraordinary inundation. Four leagues above the point where was once the island of Pericos, is the isle of Hogs, which we leave to the right, because it inclines to the N. The navigable channel continues to the S. it has however between it and the shore, a narrow creek navigable for small vessels. A league to the W. of the isle of Hogs is the channel Laurent, on the N. side of the Orinoco. From its mouth proceeds a shallow which crosses half of the Zacoopana channel. The Laurent, at its mouth, has the appearance of a large river, but at a very little distance to the N. it forms many ramifications, all of which are so shallow, that only by one can small vessels find egress to the sea. At the entrance of the Laurent channel there is a small island of the same name from which proceeds a flat which extends to the mouth of Mateo, which crosses the Itamaca branch. Musquito island, situated near the S. shore, has from its E. and W. points flats extending more than a league. In the middle of the river is the channel, half of a league broad. From the mouth of the Abacayo channel runs a shallow, extending to the island of Palomas. On the N.coast are two channels which fall into the sea. Another fat runs from the island of Palomas, andreachesto the westernmost point of the Itamaca islands. At the mouth of the channel of the island of Zacoopana commences a flat, running two leagues to the W. and often filling half the river. Between this flat, and another which proceeds from the island of Palomas is the passage for vessels. Here the Orinoco, or rather that part of it which discharges itself into the sea by the mouth of vessels, forms only one channel, eight leagues W. In this space is seen the mouth of a lake, on the shore, at a little distance from the river. It extends to the foot of the mountain of Piacoa. From the middle of the Orinoco to the S. are seen the mountains of Meri. We now come to the chain of little islands which divide the channel of Piacoa from the river. They extend 12 leagues from S. to W. On the N. bank is the mouth of the little Paragoan, from which runs a flat ex

noco.

tending to the great Paragoan. The two channels called Paragoan unite be fore falling into the sea. Above the great Paragoan is detached the arm known under the name of mouth of Pedernales, and which the Orinoco throws towards the coast of Trinidad. It forms the divers channels from the Orinoco to that island, and proceeds from the Orinoco at a league from the E. point of Yaya. There is here a flat which crosses half the river. A league and a half up the river are the Red bogs. This is the first place where the Orinoco re-appearing to the N. is seen Tierra Firmé, and land entirely secured from the water. Op posite is a shallow, which runs along the S. coast, nearly half a league from E. to W. The passage for vessels is here along the two banks, but the N. bank is the better of the two. In the middle of these bogs there is a very narrow channel called Guaritica, by which shallops can pass in the flood-tides, or during the swelling of the river, to a lake which is close to it. A league higher up on the N. bank, is the mouth of the Guarapo channel. During summer it has but very little water, but nevertheless, for several years vessels carried on a contraband trade in mules, oxen, and the productions of Cumana and Venezuela, giving in exchange dry goods. This channel, excepting at its mouth, is very deep, and admits of the navigation of large vessels, but on account of the high mountains by which it runs, they are obliged to use the oar or to be towed. Two leagues above Guarapo, is the island of Araya; it is of a moderate size, and is close to the N. coast. Towards the S. coast are seen the cascades of Piacoa, they are formed by three or four ridges which extend from the middle of the channel to the S. coast, but there is sufficient water on the N. coast for large vessels. On this coast was formerly the mission of Piacoa, and the Catalonian capuchins. Here is excellent pasture, very fertile land, good water, regular winds, and a good situation for agriculture. After having reviewed the three islands of Arciba, the next is that of Iguana, it is more than half a league from the N. bank. The river continues navigable on the S. side. In summer, on the N. side, are banks of sand which have very little water, but in winter there are no obstructions. From the W. point of the island of Iguana, the small mountain of Naparenia is only one league. It indeed appears to be nothing more than a high rock. All this coast as far as the isles of Iguana and Araya is full of sand banks. The Simon's channel, lying on the S. coast, has at its mouth the ruins of a small fort. From hence is seen the island of St. Vicente, having a flat on the E. part, which crosses the channel unto a little below the fortress, but which at full tide is of no inconvenience. This is the spot where once stood the ancient capital of Guayana before it was transferred to Angostura. The distance described is therefore 50 leagues, and it is consequently 40 leagues hence to St. Thomas. The Spaniards, when they transferred the capital 40 leagues higher up, thought proper to leave the forts they destined for the defence of Guayana, on the site of the old town. They are now seen at the foot of a small hill, one is called St. Francis and the other El Padostro. By the side of these are two small lakes named El Zeibo and Baratello. Half a league lower than St. Francis is the little rivulet of Usupamo, having a lake near its mouth. Nearly half a league above the old town, in the centre of the river, is the large rock of Morocoto, it is rather nearer the S. bank than the N. and is visible in the summer, but under water during the winter. Not far from this rock is the island of Mares, and on the S. side is the rock of the same name, and another called Hache. The channel N. of this island is preferable to that on the other side. Three leagues higher on the S. side, is point Aramaya, which is merely a jetting rock. Opposite this point are the three little islands of San Miguel: they are all of stone, with a little sand in summer. When the river is swelling they are nearly under water. On the right bank, opposite the village of San Miguel, are two islands called Chacarandy, from the wood with which they are covered; they are divided by only a narrow channel. The island of

Faxardo is in the middle of the river, opposite the mouth of the river Caroni. It is 3000 fathoms long, 1387 broad. The W. side is subject to inundations. On the right bank, and a league above this island, is the island of Torno. It is separated from the main land by a small channel; and on the W. point there are rocks, and a flat running out to five leagues. Point Cardinal is on the S. side of the island, three leagues above Faxardo. Nearly a quarter of a league from this point is a chain of rocks stretching to opposite Gurampo. During winter, one only of these is visible, but in summer three are discernible opposite Gurampo. There is a port formed by point Cardinal, called Patacon. Gurampo is a number of rocks lying five leagues above the island of Faxardo, on the N. coast. These rocks form a port bearing the same name. A shallow runs from this port nearly N. and S. with E. point Cardinal, and having on the W. extremity three rocks, under water in winter. The island of Taquache lies half a league from Gurampo, on the left bank. It is 11⁄2 leagues from E. to W. On the opposite side of the river is the island of Zeiba, four leagues long and more than one league broad. The channel separating it from the mainland has very little water, excepting in the winter. Between the mainland to the N. and the island of Toquache, there is a channel navigable at all seasons. The river Cucazana on the E. point has a flat, running a little to the W. and occupying half of the river. At the mouth is the island of the same name, which nearly joins that of Taquache. It has also a flat on the W. point which is in many places visible during summer. The Mamo channel has at its mouth a flat reaching nearly to the middle of the river, and seven leagues below the capital is another, lying N. and S. with the island of Mamo, and having from the month of January to April, only eight feet water. Vessels are obliged to be lightened in order to pass, which is the case with another channel which forms the island of Mamo. After this bar is passed, are numerous rocks on the coast and in the middle of the river. The Currucay points are but jetting rocks, and lie three leagues above port St. Anne. Nearly opposite these points, in the middle of the river, is a large rock named La Pierre du Rosaire. Between this and the coast are several others. To the N. of the Pierre du Rosaire is a channel very narrow on account of the rocks lying under water, and stretching to nearly the coast. Vessels run great risks in summer, and in winter the current is so violent that if the wind dies away, they are in danger of being wrecked against the Pierre du Rosaire. A league above this is a point of rocks on the N. shore, and some distance from this are three ridges near each other, and bearing S. of the E. point of the island of Panapana. The island of Panapana is a league above point Des Lapins, separated from the S. shore, by a channel moderately wide, but very shallow in summer. At the E. and W. points there are flats with very little water on them. That of the W. point ascends more than a league, and inclines always to the S. Between this island, which is 1 league long, and the N. coast, is the principal channel of the Orinoco. It is rather narrow and of little depth, excepting when the river experiences its swellings. Two leagues higher up is the narrowest part of the Orinoco, called by the Spaniards Angosturita. Two rocks N. and S. form this strait. A little higher up, and nearly in the centre, is a large rock called Lavadero, that is, washing place. It is visible only in summer. Between this and the S. coast there is a little island of stones, opposite which the river Maruanta discharges itself. Point Tinco to the N. and point Nicasio to the S. are also formed of rocks. St. Thomas the capital of Spanish Guayana, is the next place. It is situate at the foot of a small hill on the right bank of the river. There is a fort for its protection on the opposite side. This place is called Port Raphael and is the passage of communication betweenGuayana and the provinces of Venezuela and Cumana. Between Port St. Raphael and the city, is an island called Del Medio, from being in the centre of the river. It is a rock under water in winter, but the N.

side is dry during summer: The principal channel is between this island and the city. It has at ebb tide 200 feet of water, and about 50 more at flood. In summing up this description, it is to be observed, that from the junction of the Apure [or Assure] with the Orinoco to St. Thomas, they reckon 80 leagues. In all this space no other important river falls into the Orinoco on the S. save the Caura and Caucapasia. It is however true, that from its source it receives almost all the rivers by its left shore, and from the Assure it receives others which ensure it from thence to Guayana all the commerce of the S. plains. The navigation of all the upper part of the Orinoco is very far from being as easy and safe as the size of the river would make one imagine. Scattered with islands which obstruct the channel, and which throw its bed sometimes to the right bank, and sometimes to the left; filled with rocks of all sizes and heights, of which some are consequently even with the water, and others of a depth more or less alarming according to the season, subject to terrible squalls; the Orinoco cannot be navigated but by good pilots, and with vessels of a certain construction and size; though, be it observed, that this description relates here, peculiarly to the navigation from Guayana to the Orinoco, and from the mouth of Meta to the capital. From the enchanting variety of its banks, the naturalist must be enraptured with the navigation of this river. Its banks are frequently bordered by forests of majestic trees, which are the resort of birds of the most beautiful plumage and exquisite melody. Various species of monkeys contribute by their cries, their leaps, and gambols, to the embellishment of the surrounding scenery. The savages inhabiting the woods, content in sharing the possession with the wild beasts, are fed by the same fruits as the birds and quadrupeds, living in perfect harmony with them, neither inspiring fear nor feeling appre hension. In some parts, the eye, no longer confined in its view by the foliage of the forest, roves over extensive plains, which burst upon the sight in luxuriant verdure, covered with excellent pasture, and extending 20 or 30 leagues.-Importance of this river-Volume and rapidity of its water, and its annual swell. -The Orinoco, as has been already observed, is one of the largest rivers in the world. M. de HUMBOLDT observes, that the mouth of the Amazonas is much more extended than that of the Orinoco, but the latter river is of equal consideration with respect to the volume of water which it has in the interior of the continent; for at 200 leagues from the sea, it has a hed of from 2500 to 3000 fathoms, without the interruption of a single isle. Its breadth before St. Thomas is 3850 fathoms, and its depth, at the same place, according to the measurement made by order of the king in 1734, in the month of March, the season when its waters are at the lowest, was 65 fathoms. This river, like the Nile and others, has an annual swell. This commences regularly in April, and ends in August. All the month of September it remains with the vast body of water it has acquired the five preceding months, and presents a spectacle astonishingly grand. With this increase of water it enlarges, as it were, its natural limits, making encroachments of from 20 to 30 leagues on the land. The rise of the river is, opposite to St. Thomas, 30 fathoms, but it is greater in proportion to the proximity to the sea; it is perceptible at 350 leagues from its mouth, and never varies more than one fathom. It is pretended in the country, that there is every 25 years a periodical extraordinary rise of an additional fathom. The beginning of October the water begins to fall, leaving imperceptibly the plains, exposing in its bed a multitude of rocks and islands. By the end of February it is at its lowest ebb, continuing so till the commencement of April. During this interval, the tortoises deposit themselves on the places recently exposed, but which are still very humid; it is then that the action of the sun soon developes in the egg the principles of fecundity. The Indians resort from all parts with their families, in order to lay in a stock of food, drying the tortoises, and extracting an oil from their eggs, which they either make use of for themselves or sell. The water of the Orinoco is potable, and even some medicinal virtues are attributed to it.—Its tides, and

peculiar animals inhabiting it.-Though the tide is very strong at the mouth of the river, it is so broken and obstructed by the numerous channels through which it passes, that before the town of St. Thomas it is scarcely perceptible, or rather there is no tide at all so high up, excepting in summer, or when the wind blows from the sea. The Orinoco abounds in fish of various descriptions, but these, although they bear the same name as the fishes of Europe, are found not to correspond precisely with them in their nature or quality. The amphibious animals are also curious, and worthy of notice.

Page 52.

LODGING; APARTMENT:-He lets lodgings, who offers bed-rooms only for hire: he lets apartments who offers sitting-rooms besides. An apartment is a set of rooms. In my apartment the lodging is good. Those who have "chambers" in the inns of court, have apartments where they are usually better accommodated with sitting-rooms than with lodgings.

Page 56, 64.

GUN-POWDER :-The first and second volumes of WATSON'S Chemical Essays contain two valuable discourses on the discovery and composition of gunpowder. See particularly vol. i, essay 10.-Also, Biographia Brit. i. DUTENS Origine des découvertes, &c. ch. iii. § 10.-FRANC. SWEERTI,

Page 58.

COMFORT:-One of the correspondents of a respectable periodical miscellany, now discontinued, much to the regret of the lovers of that species of literature, (the Athenæum,) addresses the following philological observations on this word to the editor of that publication:-" A correspondent has favoured your readers with some remarks on the words comfort and comfortable, which appear to me in many respects just: I cannot, however, but think that his definition of comfort is faulty in being made so large, that the greatest part of his paper is occupied in limitations. "The possession and enjoyment of what a man wants, and the exemption from all incumbrances,' is a description so comprehensive, that it can correspond with nothing less than a term denoting happiness in general; for in what else does happiness consist? If the supply of want be essential to comfort, your correspondent may well assert that comfort is a very different thing to different people; for what so vague and various as human wants? I was lately told of a rich citizen who was making heavy complaint of the high price of pine-apples. You know,' says he, when one has a few friends to dinner, one likes to make them comfortable; so, having a party last week, I sent for a brace of pines; and, would you believe it, I was charged six guineas for them, and they were not fit to eat.' If the comfort of his guests after a dinner of turtle and venison depended upon pine-apples, I wonder how many degrees of want must be placed between them and the labourer who makes a comfortable meal with his family upon a dish of potatos with a slice of bacon! It is a mighty comfortable thing in a cold morning to step out of bed upon a bed-side carpet, and if our volunteers should be called out to a winter campaign, I doubt several of them would sadly miss such an indulgence; but I suppose few french conscripts ever heard of such a piece of furniture. With respect to incumbrances, I think I know some men who would consider a wife and half-a-dozen children in a small house as the greatest incumbrances in nature, and totally incompatible with every idea of comfort; but the pious MELANCHTHON Wrote works of profound learning in perfect tranRobinson Crusoe,

[Naval Chron.-Edition.]

NN