Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1896-05-30

leet 30 10 ~ degrees T.; at 1000 feet, per-
petual snow.
Good Climate.
The mean temperature of La Guayra, on
the coast, is 5000 degrees; Of Caracas. nine
miles inland from La Guayra, at an ela-
walton of 1925 feet, .71.20 degrees; of
Valencia, forty-five miles from the coast
and with 1,S24 feet elevation as 50 degrees;
and OF Merida, in the Andes, 5,3os feet
above the sea, Gl.5 degrees f. The trade
winds from the sea and winds from the
mountainous interior alternate each day
in modifying the temperature Of most
places accessible to them. La Guayra
however, which Humboldt characterizes as
the hottest place on earth. is cut off to a
large extent from these winds by the posi-
ton II occupies, nestled under an impend-
ing high mountain. On the whole how
ever, even a foreigner comes to the con-
clusion that the climate is as favorable as
in most parts of the world, superior to that
of many. and innumerable locations and
regions absolutely delightful. as that Of the
best days anywhere. But, after all. it is
a climate in which you cannot hustle"
nor do you feel inclined to. Nor do you
nave to, where nature, abundant in benei-
cent production, strips poverty Of real
want. Tropical nature is very friendly TO
the poor. and is its own soup counter and
aimshouse. And so the poor Of Venezuela
are in their way quite happy as the rich
thanks to the climate principally.
Population.
The population of the federal district
eight states and eight territories of Vene-
zUela at the census of 1890 was 2234 3s5
all but $3.50 living within the federal dis
trict and the states, giving their area over
~ inhabitants per square mile-a little
more than New York had in 1870. 4 large
proportion of the population is in the cities
ard along the coast belt as is usual in I'M
developed countries. This population con-
S.stS of descendants of the early Spanish
settlers, mixtures of this white race with
the Indian. ana TO a less extent the African
mixtures of the two latter, ETC., and a few
thousand pure Indians, some of whom are
Of the native CaribS. The people are as a
rule, kindly, hospitable, generous quietly
Industrious and possessed of much intelli-
gence, with a notable proportion of able
ard highly educated men, and of attractive
home-makinS women. Probably family life
IS nowhere more reasonable, contented and
happy for all concerned in 1t than in Nene-
Zuela and similar SpaniSh-American coun-
tres. Whether this fact is due to the polite
language. the race, the climate or to all
these and more, ii is harder to determine
than to understand upon acquaintance.
Another creditable fact is that there is
very little intemperance in any form among
the native people, and an open exhibition
of intoXication very rare.
La Guayra.
The traveller usually enters Venezuela at
La Guayra, and receives his first impress
sions of the country from the approach
thereto by the beautiful Caribbean sea-
Before him looms up the peak of Naiguata
9,1S0 feet, and close to it La Silla S622
Only Teneriffe, in the Canary Islands, pre-
sents grand front to the sea. Along a
narrow strip of coast at the base of these
mountains, its feet washed by the sea- lies
La Guayra, little changed by its four CEN
turtles of existence and eventful history
There are few North Americans in Mex
&C., Central America, Colombia and Nene-
Zuela; but there are things in those coun-
tries which call for them, and they are
where the course of empire takes its
way since the Pacific is reached. With
an intercontinental railway all northern
South America would soon be restless with
an overflow from the United States. an
overflow that would settle" and grow rich
easily. Without the railway, but with
growing knowledge of the marvellous rich
ness of nature there, the same result is
certain, If more remote. The boundary
question" is. with the information it will
impel into View, impetus to progress
that will not die, and the influence from
the commission will he better than they
knew. ALMONT BARNES.