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No. 433.

surprise, and, besides giving them time to arm and put themselves in a state of defence, this hill has the advantage that any ship that may attack it will suffer many discharges from the artillery without being able to return them with more than one bow chase; as the branch measures in width only one pistol shot and the ship as I have already stated is compelled to row up the current of the tide which is very strong and rapid; it would be very difficult for any sloop to break the current by stress of oars in order to place herself in a perpendicular position, and even if she succeeds, she could never place her side in a convenient angle to fire into the fort that may be erected on said hill, unless she rode on four anchors; and even if she succeeded in placing her side to the fort it would be almost impossible for her to resist two discharges with grape shot from the latter as, on account of the height, all her crew would be unprotected.

In case of an attack by land the enemy will meet with almost the same difficulties, there being no heights from which they can command it, all the surrounding lands and valleys being full of very thick groves.

The whole of the aforesaid Bauruma is inhabited by indians of the Aruaca tribe who have most beautiful farms of yucca, corn and other fruits; they are very friendly to the Spanish nation and expressed great pleasure out our going there; they showed me a cocoa plantation, close to the branch Tapacuma (of which I send Your Excellency an ear and a small bag of the fruit, to serve as seed for the new populators). The water of this branch is very good and clear and the bottom is of white sand.

Besides the advantages which may be expected from founding a town upon the hill of Bauruma, the distance from it to Essequibo being only as I have said before from twelve to thirteen leagues, we can reach the shores of the river Essequibo by means of four or five towns; and this being obtained, the Dutch are deprived of all communication, not only with the various indian tribes south of the Essequibo and all the branches of the Orinoco, but also with the whole of the Parime as there being no other passage for them but said river, if it is intercepted, all correspondence with it becomes impossible for them, which they can only hold with their coun trymen at Surinam and the French at Cayenne, who are at the east of said Essequibo.

I have not found in any of the lands surveyed any plain or sabana which can be used for pasture, and according to information received none are to be met with in the neighborhood of the river Essequibo as far as Verviche.

Herewith I send to Your Excellency a plan of all the lands I have visited, remarking that, of all that said plan contains, only the branch Macuro, part of the Tapacuma, the part of the branch from Visororun and the river Essequibo have been drawn according to information of the Indians, while all the rest has been drawn with the distances and demarcations which I have personally taken in surveying the lands during the expedition.

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I also send to Your Excellency the diary which contains all the incidents of the aforesaid expedition, so that Your Excellency can become acquainted with all the particulars thereof.

Awaiting further commands I am Your Excellency's most obedient humble servant.

No. 434.

Extract from Royal Order as to Surveying the Lower Orinoco, October 1,

1780.

[Reprinted from Seijas, Ven. International Law, pp. 89-90.]

Although the dispatches were lost, which were being brought by the brig called "Nuestra Señora del Rosario" and the other two ships which sailed with her under convoy from La Guayra for Spain, the captain of the aforesaid brig, Don José Felipe de Inciarte, was able to save the letter of 12th of April last which Your Excellency gave him that he might present himself before me and inform me of the success of the mission which he was charged with for the surveyal and occupation of the lands of the eastern part of the lower Orinoco; which he has done verbally, also presenting to me the originals which he likewise saved of the diary, plan and report which he presented to Your Excellency on the 27th of November last. And having reported to the King all that these documents contain, he has been pleased to command that the aforesaid Inciarte return to Your Excellency so that you may, at once, or when you may see fit, charge him once more with the same mission of occupying and populating the lands which he described in his aforesaid report of 27th November last, and to erect the two small provisional forts which he has judged necessary, the one to protect against the attacks of the Dutch of Essequibo the town which may be founded, as he suggested in said report, close to the bay formed by the small river or creek Moruca, at a distance of a quarter of a league from the post or guard house held by the Dutch, which stands at about eighteen leagues from Essequibo towards the Orinoco, erecting said fort on the highest point commanding the point that may be occupied by the town and its surroundings; and the second fort with four or six guns in the bay itself of the aforesaid river Moruca, to prevent the entrance thereto of any unfriendly vessel; dislodging the Dutch from the aforesaid post or guard house which they have constructed there; it being understood that if the Director General or Governor of Essequibo should complain, answer shall be given that these proceedings are taken in conformity with the general laws and instructions given for the better government of our Indies, which do not allow of such intrusions of

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foreigners in the Spanish dominions, such as those are; which same answer shall be given here if the States General of Holland make any complaint or claim.

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No. 435.

Extract from Report of Jose Felipe Inciarte, Officer in Charge, as to the Lower Orinoco; December 5, 1783.

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The lands lying between the rivers Caroni and Caura, which rivers are distant from each other from forty five to fifty leagues, abound in pastures, water and resting places, and are free from insects; they are therefore most suitable for cattle breeding, with the advantage that the capital is at an equal distance from both rivers, and there are now in them eight or ten cattle farms belonging to inhabitants of the capital, with from forty to fifty thousand heads of cattle. Those farms could be greatly increased in number, and in time become an important branch of commerce with Europe, by allowing several families of this province of Caracas and Barinas to transfer their cattle; Don Manuel Feran, an inhabitant of the city of Guiana, doing business with Cadiz, has informed me that several wealthy people of both provinces are anxious to establish themselves, and some of them have given him their procuration; they would bring considerable numbers of cattle to those places, without this emigration being in any way prejudicial to the progress of said provinces.

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As regards the populating of the eastern part of the aforesaid lower Orinoco and of the frontiers of the colony of Essequibo, for which I have been commissioned, I beg to refer Your Excellency to what I have stated both to Your predecessor and to His Excellency Don Jos de Galvez in my report of 27 November one thousand seven hundred and seventy nine; but hearing that the French have taken possession of the aforesaid colony of Essequibo during the war, for which reason the Dutch have abandoned the advanced post which they held on the banks of the river Moruca, which post it is most important to occupy before any new event takes place, I am of opinion that it would be very convenient and necessary to provisionally fortify it, and to establish there a town with the native Indians who inhabit the neighborhood, appointing for this object two missionaries with a detachment to serve as escort; in this manner the inhabitants of said colony will be prevented from entering the lands which lie between them and the Orinoco; as this cannot be of great expense to the king, it will be of use when it is intended to populate the other points of my mission

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with Spaniards, as they will more easily find there the necessaries of life with the exception of meat.

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Extracts from Report of the Attorney on Proceedings instituted on the Complaint of the Minister from Holland (no date).

[Reprinted from Ven. Sp. Docs., Vol. 2, pp. 292–293.]

The attorney has examined the proceedings instituted by this superior authority, on account of a certain memorial presented to His Majesty by the Minister of Holland, complaining of the conduct of the Spaniards established in Orinoco against the Dutch colony of Esquivo. It was forwarded, through the reserved way, with the Royal order of September 10, 1769, so as to be examined by the Council, as soon as possible, and consult His Majesty in regard to the extension of those boundaries, and the right alleged by the Republic for fishing at the entry of the Orinoco river; to this memorial it was added by way of antecedent, another proceedings instituted and already consulted with His Majesty on the 9th of May of the year of 1768, in consequence of a despatch of the Government of England, in relation to the restitution of the negroes, who from their islands come over to ours in America, and after the accumulation of several representations, justifying testimonies from the Governors of Cumana, Guayana, and others that were addressed through the reserved way, in virtue of a consultation made by the Council on the 27th of October, of said year of 1769. In that state, and according to the advice of the attorney, it was decided, on the 6th of August, 1774, that everything should be submitted to a Relator in order to form a circumstantial abstract, as it has been done.

Under this understanding it is observed by the exponent that to-day no resolution is required or any further step taken after the long lapse of over fifteen years, without any further mention of the subject by the Minister of Holland, leading to the belief that, after having been better informed, the Republic realizes the want of justice for the claim made and has already desisted.

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It is true that the united papers with the above-mentioned memorial, and particularly the representation of the Governor of Guayana, Don Manuel Centurion, not only show the want of foundation for the complaint of the vassals of Holland, but likewise that it should be very desirable to increase, on our part, the precautions that he contemplated in those countries, as very important to the State; but as there is already such a long time past, circumstances must have changed, and we can not enter in the examination of the same, without more reason and new reports of the present situation of things in those countries.

No. 437.

Action taken by the Council, May 27, 1785, as to the Complaint by the Minister from Holland.

[Reprinted from Ven. Sp. Docs., Vol. 2, p. 293.]

Messieurs Casafonda-Areche-Huerta.

Taking all things into consideration, it seems that what we must do now is, to await the suggestive development of circumstances, showing the course to be adopted; in that case the Attorney should be consulted, to report what he may find proper. The Council may agree and adopt this report.

Madrid, May the 27, 1785-[here is a flourish]. Council of June the 4th, 1785-Chamber 1st.-As reported by the Attorney-[here is a flourish J.

No. 438.

Extracts from the Diary of Matheo Beltran, Commander of the Revenue Boat in the Orinoco, 1785.

Diary, 23d day. [June, 1785.] Having left this capital by order of the Governor and Commander-General Don Miguel Marmion, steering in a straight course to the great mouth of the Orinoco, from thence passing into the Barima creek, on the same day, at ten o'clock at night, we arrived at the Port of San Miguel.

Diary, 24th day. At dawn we took on board the cassave, and at that same hour we left the said port, and at twelve o'clock we arrived at Presidio, and I began to put the (launch) or barge in order.

Diary, 25th day. At daybreak we put our arms in order and made the cartridges for the cannon and for the swivel gun; and, on the same day, at two o'clock in the afternoon, we set forth on the way to our destination, with four Indians, three being mine and one being given to me by the Commander, Don Antonio de Perello, because those whom I brought from the capital went away, and although the Commander wrote to the "father" he would not send them back.

Diary, 26th day. Daybreak found us at the Portuguese Islands, and at eight o'clock in the morning we found two "curiaras" (boats) belonging to the Guarauno Indians, who informed me that there was a schooner fishing on the mouth of Guiama (Waini), and I steered straight ahead; the same date, at eleven o'clock at night, we slept at the Vuelta del Diablo.

Diary, 27th day. At three o'clock in the morning I weighed anchor, and at eight o'clock we found four "curiaras" of Carib Indians, be

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