Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1892-12-10
PORT OF LA GUAYRA.

to cost 5000 900. occupy not more than five
years in building and afford perfectly quiet
haven for vessels of heaviest draught. At
present itextends out not more than 200 feet and
appears to be washed away about as fast as con-
structed- IL is said to be impossible to erect
an efficient breskwater at this point owing to
the continual shifting of the sand.
PLENTY OF PATIENCE NEEDED.
The chances are that you will have plenty of
leisure for cultivation of that cardinal virtue,
patience, out In the roadstead OF La Guayra.
with the tip OF the mast almost touching the
water ut regular intervals 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 officials. Both favors
are extremely uncertain as to time. and lucky
indeed is the ship 20 which they occur simulta-
neously. Meanwhile you may amuse yourself
with the prospect ashore and tales of sophis.i-
Gated passengers pertaining TO the locality. La
Guayra IL said to be one of the hottest places
on the face OF the earth, owing, doubtless, to
the proximity of the barren mountain 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 around in the
crowded streets. One tells the story of Capt
Robert Todd OF the Venezuelan navy, who
dreamed that he visited the Internal regions and
was shown all the ins and outs of the Palace of
Perpetual Pain by the major domo of 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 group
Of men were playing cards and apparently en-
joying themselves immensely. ..How is it."
asked Capt. Todd. THAT these men appear SO
comfortable. while others suffer such burning
torture in Piuto's realm?" .'Oh. they are from
La Guayra," answered the major domo.
Though certainly hotter than Cairo. Madras
Acapulco. Yuma-if not hades. the natives speak
of its climate calido sano. "warm and
healthy" 1t does not follow that all places
within the isothermal line of greatest heat are
unhealthy, and, strange to say. this dirty, swell
tering little port is the hygienic resort Of the
people of Caracas aud the highlands beyond,
who come down every year during the heated
term. Even Asiatic cholera failed to find a
footholdin La Guayra, though it decimated the
capital few Years ago, and We How fever is
almost unknown.
THE sTRAGGLING TOWN..
The town struggles along the beach about
two miles, generally in a single row of houses,
indicating but one street in width, except where
two or three offshoots scramble up the percipi-
tous heights or penetrate the narrow valleys
between them The hills. SCARED here and
there by zig gag paths. reddish brown in
color, exactly like the roofs of the houses; the
valleys are reddish brown. too. and perfectly
barren, except for a few cacti. Indeed there is
no vegetation In sight Though the upper cor
diilera looks softly green, as 1t might be with
forests, except the great cocoanut grove at