The Republican journal. [volume] (Belfast, Me.) 1829-current, 1892-12-15

stead of LaGuayra, with the tip of the mast
almost touching the water at regular in
tervals as the vessel sways and rocks.
rises and falls with the swells that 90
under it, while waiting for favorable
weather IN which to land and permission
to do so from the Health and Customs off
Gals. Both favors are extremely uncer-
tain AS to time, and lucky indeed is the
ship TO which they occur simultaneously.
Meanwhile YOU may amuse yourself with
the prospect ashore and tales of sophisti-
Gated passengers pertaining to the locality.
LaGuayra is said to be one of the hottest
places on the face of the earth owing
doubtless, to the proximity of the barren
mountains base, which shuts off every
breath of air from the land side and barely
leaves room for a mule with pack On his
back to turn ar0Hnd in the crowded
streets. One tells the story Of Captain
Robert Todd, OF the Venezuelan navN.
Who dreamed that he visited the internal
regions and WAS shown all the ms and
Outs o1 the Palace Of Perpetual Pain by
The Maiordomo oi the place, and found it
much hotter than common report has
pictured. After wandering about some
/ time, Viewing the various torments Of the
wicked, they came to a furnace wherein a
group of men were playing cards enjoying
themselves immensely. "How is it, ask
| ed Captain Todd. that these men appear
50 comfortable, while others suffer such
burning torture in pluto's realm" ',Oh.
they are from LaGuayra," answered the
Majordomo.
Though certainly hotter than Cairo,
Madras, Acapulco, Yuma-it not Hades.
the natives speak of its climate us c,,jido u
sato, warm and healthy 1t does not
follow that all places within the sothel-
NAL line of greatest heat are unhealthy,
and strange to say this dirty, sweltering
| little port is the hygenic resort of the peo-
| pie of Caracas and the highlands bevond.
| who come down every wear during the
heated term. Even Asiatic cholera failed
to lind a toothold in La Guayra. though it
| decimated the Capital Il few Years ago.
and yellow fever is almost unknown The
town struggles along the beach about two
miles generally in Il single row OF houses,
| indicating but one street in width except
where Two OF three ottsh0otS scramble up
the precipitous heights 81 penetrate the
narrow valleys between them. The hills,
SCARED here and there 10y zig gag paths,
are reddish brown in color. exactly like
the roofs OF the houses: the valleys are
reddish brown too, and perfectly barren
except for few cact. Indeed there is
no vegetation in sight Though the upper
coldilela looks Softly green as it might
he With forests except the great cocoa
nut Grove at Maiquetia-a village a mile
west Of La GuaYra, and ile splendid ca
Gao palms OF Macut0, the Long Branch OF
Venezuela, three miles cast ot the port.
BY the way, the cacao ard the cocoanut
tIee, SO frequently contounded in English
spelling and in the imaginatons Of people
| who have never seen either-are rs wide
! ~ different in themselves as trees can be.
The latter is Tie product OF the palm, re-
marllahle Tor the height it attains and the
pIoNlgous SIZE of the fruit which grow
in punches bigger than man can lift
caeao, on the contrary, grows on mod
elatey sized Tree, in pods resembling
large eucumDer>, OF rich chocolate color
outside Each pod is Tiled with oblong
nuts enycloped in a white, sli ,htly acid
pulp, which is as agreeable TO the taste
Of Monkeys parrots and other tropical
pests rs are cherries to the Northern rob
ms so that Il cacao plantation has to be
carefully guarded if its owner wishes to
derive amy profit theietrom
Having at last been permitted to land
you md that it does not take nearly as
long To- see all there is of La Guavla as to
rescue yolr luggage, be it much or little
from The Aduana OF Custom House tits
al pleten>ions with walls thick and
strong enough to be both bomb and earth
waterproof, connected with the wharf bv
4 tramWAN, 1t is built in the old Spanish
style. with long line Of pillars in front
to which an awning is attached. render
inc It's alcove delightfully."- cool and pleas
ant, A central gateway gives admittance
to the paved courtyard around which are
the storcrooms. y grand staircase leads
to the upper story where the Aduanero
on Chief OF the custom house resides with
his family and where also is suit OF
splendid rooms Ton the use OF the preSi-
dent, whenever he chooses to visit the
port. 1t is q busy place being the most
important Aduana in the Republic and Il
large quantity OF merchandise passes
through the hands OF its officials: foI not
wthstanding its wretched shipping facili-
ties, Ia GuaNra carries on a very active
trade with foreign marts, as is atLcsted by
the number OF English French German
and Italian merchants. with few Ameli-
cans, whose ware houses line the WllalVeS.
Proceeding to the Hotel Neptune, you
lind large, deep, trowning edi1ice, whose
street entrance runs into the inevitable
patio, whence numerous starcases lead
OFT. IN the most unaccountabc manner to
various parts OF the building. 1t is as
picturesque as int and 1i Sntflp1 can ma L "a