Page 63
An. 1682
La Guiare. La Comana. Verina.
tance, a very sensible man who hath been there, tells me that 'tis very populous, and he judges it to be 3 times as big as Corunna in Gallicia. The way to it is very steep and craggy, over that ridge of of Hills, which I said closes up the Valleys and par- tition Hills of the Cacao Coast. In this Coast it felt the chief place is La Guiare, a good Town close by the Sea; and though it hath but a bad Harbour yet it is much frequented by the Spanish shipping; for the Dutch and English anchor in the sandy Bays that lye here and there in the mouths of several Valleys, and where there is very good riding. The Town is open, but hath a strong Fort; yet both were taken some years since by Captain Wright and his Privateers. 'Tis feared about 4 or 5 leagues to the Westward of Cape Blanco, which Cape is the Eastermost boundary of this Coast of Caraccos. Fur- ther Eastward about 20 leagues is a great lake or branch of the Sea, called La Laguna de Vallenfuella; about which are many rich Towns; but the mouth of the Lake is shallow that no Ships can enter. Near this mouth is a place called Comana, where the Privateers were once repulsed without daring to at- tempt it any more, being the only place in the North Seas they attempted in vain for many years; and the Spaniards since throw it in their teeth fre- quently, as a word of reproach or defiance to them. Not far from the place is Verina, a small Village and Spanish Plantation, famous for its Tobacco, repu- ted the best in the world.
But to return to Caraccos, all this Coast is subject to dry winds, generally North-east, which caused us to have scabby Lips: and we always found it thus, and that in different seasons of the year; for I have been on this Coast several times. In other respects it is very healthy and a sweet clear Air. The Spa- niards have Look-outs or Scouts on the Hills, and Breast-works in the Valleys, and most of their