The Paonia newspaper., 1911-03-31
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La Guaira was the scene OF the In
carceration of many of the conspir-
ators Of the various movements be
tween 1896 and the final throwing of
CT Spanish dominion. In 1910. and the
principal dungeons where these pris-
oners were kept under the streets
near the sea wall. They have been
destroyed in later years, although the
outlines of some of the entrances may
be seen in the walls which keep La
Guaira creek within its bed
Among the old historic points in
teresting to the modern student and
traveller. nothing seems TO me quite
so worthy of attention as the house
which now occupies the site in the
gardens where lived the Spanish gov
ernor. so aptly described in Kingsley's
famous book. Westward Ho." The
old house was partially destroyed by
the terrible earthquake which caused
almost the total destruction of La
Guaira. Caracas. and other cities of
Venezuela on Holy Thursday. March
&c. 1912. but the present structure. re-
built on the old foundations, is, evil
IDENTIFY similar in construction and
form to the other.
The gardens. the nag pavements.
and the graveled walk leading from
the seashore. are more or less as they
must have been when the Amyas
Leigh of the story came with his
brother Frank. who sought his lady
here. only to find the Rose of Tor
ridge In possession OF his enemy.
Don Guzman Maria Magdaleno Soto
mayor de Soto The house stands to
the eastward OF La Guaira proper. on
an eminence overlooking much OF the
town and commanding an excellent
view of the harbor The Macuto steam
tramway and the electric lights are
about the only things one finds near
II sufficiently bizarre TO destroy the
conceit OF barking back to that earlier
time. for in little else is the imme-
diaie scene changed.
There are three trails over the
mountains leading from La Guaira to
Caracas by which one may reach the
capital on horseback in four or FIVE
hours. presenting vistas OF exquisite
beauty. The most picturesque prob
ably is via Gaiipan. a small village at
an elevation of about 1000 feet. from
which Caracas on the one side and
the Caribbean Sea on the other are
visible.
The Caracas railway offers also a
most delightful trip. rising to an ele-
vation of 1900 feet In 2l miles of dis
tance. II is n succession of sharp
curves and steep grades. and as 1t
climbs the mountain side one encoun-
ters scenery rare in its variety. The
sea. the harbor. the towns Of La
Guaira and Maiquotia, and the fat
plains of Gao Blanco are far below
Coffee plantations are passed, and
groves of banana trees wave In the
breeze. The line creeps around the
precipitous cliffs OF Fl Boqueron. with
the homes OF goatherds and Canary
Island truck farme.s in the gullies far
below The majestic mountains tower
high above. and CANYONS stretch out
beneath with thread. like rivulets flow
ing along their sandy beds. There Is
much that reminds one of the scenic
changes of the Rio Grande in Utah
and Colorado. but the low English en-
gines, the short train of small coaches.
little resemble the enormous trains
OF that road
After n two-hour climb the summit
is PASSED. and the train debouches
into the rich valley of the Guiria.
wherein lies Caracas, but that is an.
other story.