The daily morning journal and courier. [volume] (New Haven, Conn.) 1894-1907, 1902-11-27
MARACAIBO CITY.
ITS SURROUNDINGS RE-
MARKABLY
Healthy city For the Tropics The
Pearl Fisheries of Venezuela.

heaItny city For the Hr0plcs-The
Pearl Fisheries of Venezuela.
Especial Correspondence of the Jour
nal and Courier)
Maracaibo, Oct 14th, 1902
You should bear in mind that this
great inland sea of Maracaibo-wedged
between Columbia and Venezuela, but
claimed by the last named country as
a part of the state of Zulia-is one
hundred and thiTty-seVen miles long
by between seventy and one hundred
miles wide; and that the city of the
same name, with a population Of per-
haps of forty thousand, is situated near
the foot of the lake, on its western
shore. The vast body of water has
more than four hundred miles of shore
line and receives tribute from several
hundred rivers and smaller streams,
many of them manageable long distances
into the heart of Venezuela and the ad-
joining republic of Colombia. All the
region round about is extremely fertile,
being we'll watered, and invigorated by
tropical heat and constant humidity.
1t is also a region of exceptional
healthfulness so near to the equatorial
line, as well as scenically beautiful, be-
ing bordered on the south and east by
the foothills of the Andes, which rise
majestically, range above range, to
snow-capped mountain masses whose
tops are lost in the clouds. The state
of Zulia, which contains lake Mara
caibo, contains also portions of the
Andes; and upon one of their foot
hills, at an elevation of something over
five thousand feet, stands the ancient
city of Merila, one of the largest in
Venezuela, until destroyed by the
earthquake of 1872. Merida has now
about fourteen thousand inhabitants,
and appears to be renewing it's old
time prosperity, owing, no doubt, to
the recently established railway COM
munication with point Of river and
lake navigation, 106 miles distant. 1t
does not require a prophets vision to
foretell that this portion of Venezuela
is destined to become it's most prosper
Gus and populous-not only because Of
it's greater beauty salubriety and pro-
ductiveness, but also by reason of its
matchless lake and numerous water
ways, which afford remote parts Of
lIFS pOpuUllC SOtif S4IlC1II ASSSS2 " bAAS
market of the world
Maracaibo City occupies sand-bank,
only a few feet above the level Of the
lake. Notwithstanding a pest of fleas,
flies and other singing and creeping
things, and the fact that its mean an
nual- temperature is above eighty de-
grees Fahrenheit, it is considered re-
markably healthy, as tropical cities go.
1t is a singular fact that sunstroke is
unknown in the tropics, and in spite of
the excessive heat and occasional cpl
denies, the death-rate of Maracaibo
city is really lower, according to popu-
lation, than that of New York, Boston
or Chicago. However, foreigners may
easily make the acquaintance of the
cemetery by a little carelessness in
Drawing the midday sun, when all the
local world is taking it's needed siesta,
and by indulging too freely in fruits
and native aguardiente. By the way,
within full sight Of the city, far out in
the lake, you see a group of lovely palm
shaded islands; but do not let Mother
Ewes curiosity tempt you to closer in
vestigation, for they are occupied by
large and increasing colony Of lepers.
MaraCa1DOS ndFDOF WOulu pe llle NelJ
best in Venezuela, were not the passage
between Columbus Gulf of Sorrow"
the outer lagoon and the lake proper,
so shallow that vessels drawing more
than twelve feet of water cannot go
through it with safety. Right here is
a fine chance for some enterprising
Yankee with a knack at engineering to
make his everlasting fortune, by OBJ
tanning from the Venezuelan govern
ment some valuable concessions in con-
nection with deepening this entrance
to Lake Maracaibo and keep 1t open.
The passage is supposed to be effec-
tually guarded by San Carlos castle and
its bristling guns; but the fact re-
mains that war vessels, as well as
buccaneers without number, have sue
cessfully defied it. About a century
ago three British men-of-war, on mis-
chief bent, made their way into the
lake, the passage being considerably