Fayetteville observer. [volume] (Fayetteville, Tenn.) 1850-1966, 1868-01-16
From South America.
PARAGUA, VENEZUELA, S. A., |
Sept. 18th, 1867. I.

AhAGUA, ENEZUELA, .. A., |
Sept. 18th, 1867. { ]
g We arrived att
this place two weeks ago. We
ware very cordially received by
both officials and people. Houses
were furnished for the whole par
ty till they can build or buy. Most
of US have selected locations and
will have to build houses. l have
bought two coffee plantations; one
with about four hundred bearing
trees, and the other with about
one thousand. / gave twenty-five
dollars for one, and twelve for the
other. | have grants for thirty
eight hundred and forty acres of
land. / intended to locate part
of my land 30 as to cover my cof-
fee plantations. / am putting up
a temporary habitation at one of
my places and will be ready to move
to it in day or two. | have in
addition to the coffee trees over
two hundred plantain and banana
trees, a number of chocolate trees,
oranges, mangoes, pine apples, ALI
gator pears, calabashes, papaus,&c.
| have planted some corn and in
tend to plant rice, sugar cane,
potatoes, cassava; all manner Of
garden vegetables. Now, as to
the land in this country, I don't
think there is any more rich or pro-
ductive onthe globe. Everything
grows almost spontaneously
There is scarcely any such thing
in this country as cultivation of
the soil. | have not seen a plow
in the country. Hoes, axes, and
other utensils are very primitive.
The machata, or cutlas, is more
used than any other instrument.
No native goes without it. The
climate is all that heart could de-
sire. It is cool and pleasant all
the year round. And during the
dry season they say it is perfectly
delightful. The water is used al
most entirely fromrunningstreams.
1t is not cold, but it is very pure
and pleasant. The Paragua Riv-
er, which is almost aslarge as the
Tennessee, is clear and pure. We
have had some very heavy rains
we arrived here, Which raised the
river FIVE or six feet in few hours;
but it does not alter its color. 1t
is as, clear when high as when low.
The secret is this: the lands do
not wash. The face of the country
is variegated with hill and dale,
with mountain and valley, with
woodland and prairie. Then.
there are rivers and creeks and
purling streamlets every where to
slake the thirst of man and beast.
Cattle flourish here beyond all cal
culation. | have never seen fin
er cattle in any part Of the world.
Horses are few and rather shabby.
Wagons are not known here at
all. There are a few carts, heavy
clumsy things, and then they tie
the yoke to the oxen's horns in
stead of yoking them right
Most of the transportation in
this country is carried on by pack
mules and jack asses, chiefly the
latter. There is an endless yarie-
ty Of birds of the most beautiful
plumage, some sweet singing and
others wild and harshly croaking.
The woods are full of tigers, wild
cats, monkeys, deer, ant eaters,
armadillos, &c. But none of them
ever interfere with man. The
greatest objection to this country
is the insects; musquitoes and gnats
are bad in places. / have seen
one centipede, and suppose they
are pretty plenty. Snakes are
few and far between. / have seen
but two snakes in Venezuela. /
:hink there are as few objections
md more advantages in this coun.
Try than any new country ever
Jaw. Cotton is scarcely cultivated .
here at all, although see it grow
ng wild almost every where. /
I'm satisfied it would produce won
lerfuily with proper cultivation.
The natives plant corn about five
eet apart, five to six stalks in a
ill, chop it once or twice with an
Id hoe that you would not have, /
md each stalk produces a large