BARQUICIMENTO.
or l'arinas, the capital of tho province of the same name, is built on the St. Domingo River, at the base of the Nevado de Mdrida, in r 30' N. let., 70° 12' W. long.: population about 6000. It is the centre of a very fertile district, and a large trade is carried on, the inhabitants of the higher country bringing in their corn and fruit, and taking in exchange the produce of the numerous herds which pasture on the plains. A good deal of tobacco is grown in the Carora, on the left bank of the Tocuyo, 100 miles N.W. from Barquicimento, population 4000, has some manufactures of cotton stuft":: and several tanneries, and carries on a good trade.
Coro, the capital of the province of Coro, stands on an arid plain about 2 miles from the tea, at the western angle of the Gulf of Mara caibo : population, 9000. It carries on some trade, obiefly with the Dutch island of Curacao, by means of the small harbour called Vela de Coro, which is about 7 miles from the town.
C61011114 the capital of the department of Maturin, stands about a mile from the sea, at the entrauee of the Gulf of Cariaeo : popula tion 12,000. The gulf itself is spacious and safe, but its entrance is somewhat dangerous, owing to a sandbank, which extends from Punta Araya, and a shoal of the opposite coast. The town has no remark able buildings; the houses are low and slightly built, on account of the frequent earthquakea. There is a considerable trade in cattle, dried meat, salted fish, and salt, with Cardcas and the Windward Islands.
Guava, or La Ceara, the port of Cs:Ideas, from which it is distant in a straight line only 6 miles, but by i the road over the moun tains about 13 miles: population, 6000. It s built ou a narrow and uneven plain between two huge masses of rack, and at the back of the town the mountains rise almost perpendicularly. The town is rather well built; but it has only an exposed roadatead, and the anchoring ground is not good. The climate is exceedingly hot, and It is considered very unhealthy, but it is said without reason.
Maracoibo, the capital of the province of the same name, is built on the western shores of the strait which connects the great lake with the Gulf of Maracaibo : population, 14,000. It contains some good buildings, but the greater part of the houses are of wood and thatched. The town has a considerable trade, as it is the harbour of the provinces of Merida end Trujillo, and also of several districts of New Granada, especially theme surrounding Cficuta, from which cacao, coffee, honey, sugar, conserves, tobacco, ropes, and some smaller articles are brought to Maracaibo, and then exported by English, American, Dutch, French, and Danish vessels. By tho same way
these provinces are supplied with European articles and with salt. Besides the ordinary schools the town has a college and a school of navigation. A considerable number of vessels are built here, the formate on the southern banks of the lake supplying abundance of excellent timber.
Maturin is a considerable place on the banks of the Rio Guarapiche, which falls into the Gulf of Farb:. The river is navigable at the town for barges, and for larger vessels at the Cello Colorado, about 27 miles lower down in a straight line. The town exports to Trinidad a great number of cattle, horses, aud mules.
Merida, the capital of the province of tho same name, population 6000, is built on a plaio, or rather table-land, 10 miles long and 3 miles wide, which on one aide joins the range of mountains, and on the other sides is encompassed by deep valleys. It is 5518 feet above the sea-level, and on the south of the town is the Sierra Nevada. The coffee grown in the vicinity is of excellent quality. Several kinds of woollen and cotton stuffs are made. There are a college and several schools.
Puerto Cabello, is situated at the bottom of the Gulf of Triste, in 10° 20' N. let, 69° 10' W. long.: population, 10,000. The port is con sidered the best on the south coast of the Caribbean Sea. The harbour is formed on the west by a peninsula projecting northward, and terminating about 100 yards from the island, and is sheltered by a narrow low island, about 2 miles long, which is overgrown with mangrove-trees, and at its eastern extremity is united to the con tinent by a shoal. The apace between the peninsula and island forms the entrance of the port, which is deep, but so narrow that only one vessel can pass through it at a time. The harbour itself is spacious, and the largest vessels may lie there in safety ; the water being always as smooth as that of a lake. The city is small, but contains several good houses and is well fortified. There is an excellent wharf, close to which vessels of large burden may lie. A suburb, much more extensive than the city, but built with less regularity, is separated from it by a cut. The commerce of the town is considerable. The exports consist of cacao, coffee, sugar, and a great number of mules. Formerly 10,000 mules are said to have been annually shipped for Jamaica and other parts of the West Indies.