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In the Cactus Lands of Goajira
villains, who think no more of shooting a man than a sportsman a rabbit. Fortunately, however, we did not encounter any of their raiding parties, but in order to get out of the more dangerous zone we travelled on till 7 p. m. Darkness prevented us from continuing our journey, so we unloaded our animals and rested on the road till the moon rose at 2 a. m., when we collected our horses and again proceeded. During these few hours my friend, Colonel Morales, kept awake in fear lest any bandits might be on our track. At midnight a dog appeared on the scene, and being, as far as we knew, many miles away from any habitations we sus- pected that the Cosinas were following us. No explana- tion of the dog's appearance presented itself, but we collected our animals and proceeded on the rising of the moon.
A Moonlight Journey.
We travelled along in the early hours of the 16th near the Coast, and about 5 a. m. reached a rancho known as Porchauri, its existence being made known to us by the crowing of a cock. Here we were able to obtain milk to appease our hunger and thirst, and then continued our journey along the Coast till at 11 a. m., we reached a rancko known as Ġuaraguarao, where we halted for lunch and to rest the animals.
Early in the afternoon we continued our journey, we were now travelling through Venezuelan territory, and at dusk we reached the salt marshes near Castilletes. Unfortunately, we lost our track and experienced some difficulty in reaching the other side, our animals collaps- ing in the mud. After firing several pistol shots we brought to our rescue a guide who conducted us to his rancho on the other side where we reached at 7.30 p. m.. thoroughly exhausted. In the morning we proceeded to Castilletes where we were very kindly received by the Government representative Señor Suárez.
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Castilletes.
Castilletes is a small station on the Venezuelan fron- tier, part of it being in Colombia and part in Venezuela. It is situated at the base of two miniature table moun. tains, which occupy a position between the station and the sea; the surroundings are barren and present a somewhat desolate appearance.
Talc.
Et
The coast lands here contain rich deposits of tale which is being exploited and exported to Venezuela, its local value being about four dollars per ton, appears to me that more remunerative prices may be obtained in the United States or Europe; this question is being investigated, as this mineral is also found on the other side of the peninsula.
Macuire Hills.
The following day we left for the Macuire Hills via the Laguna de Tucacas, the Coastguards station on this coast. After traversing the plains, for the most part beautiful grazing lands of the cadilla grass, we reached the hills towards dusk. Not finding water we continued our journey until about 9 p. m., when we reached an Indian village. Here we found the whole village drunk. strange to say, on a liquor prepared from the apparently harmless watermelon. Considering it imprudent to camp here we continued for a further few kilometers and camped at a rancho known as Tolumana.
In the morning we awoke to find ourselves in beauti- ful country, forest clad hills and open glades covered with abundant pasture; but, strange to say, after our experiences of previous days with a scarcity of water. In the morning we proceeded along the forest clad bill: to Nazaret, where we arrived at about 1 p. m., and wert welcomed by the Rev. Padre Antonio de Valencia and
Gonfran Boys at the Mission of the Cxpurhinos, Nazaret
bis companions, and General F. D. Pichon. Nazaret is an orphanage of the Capuchinos Mission, which is situ ated in a beautiful part of the Macuire Hills at the base of the mountain known as Itajoro. This Mission is doing good work in the education of the Goajiran chil- dren; but, its scope of usefulness would in my opinion be enhanced if a school garden or an experimental plantation and an industrial school be established. In this manner the children and youth might be taught the elements of agriculture, and at the same time ex- periments could be made to prove what crops are best suited to the country. Crafts like that of carpentering should also prove of great importance to the Indians. On the 20th we remained at Nazaret, and I took an opportunity of being present at an examination of the students and of seeing what progress the Mission had made with the raw material of Goajira. My suggestion that the Mission should extend its usefulness conveys no disapprobation of the useful educational work now be ing accomplished; on the contrary, it is rather the ex- pression of a desire that this education should not be lost to agriculture on which the future prosperity of the Goajira depends.
Itajoro Mt.
The scenery in the vicinity of Nazaret is probably the most beautiful in Goajira. The Itajoro mountain somewhat resembles La Teta; in fact the Indians call them brothers and say that when they were on the way to this locality La Teta got tired and stayed on the way. I was particularly struck with the possibilities of cotton growing in these parts, a subject to which [ shall refer later.
Nazaret to Bahia Honda.
I had intended visiting Puerto Estrella, the station on the extreme end of the peninsula. Owing, however, to
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this journey having taken much more time than I bað anticipated, I decided to proceed direct to Bahia Honda from Nazaret and return by sea to Rio Hacha. We left Nazaret on the 21st, this day's journey was along the foot hills of the Macuire range, excellent lands for cotton growing. At dusk we reached a rauche on the Jereipa plains where we camped for the night.
On the 22nd we had a difficult and trying journey through poor and sterile lands, soft with heavy rains and clifficult to traversc. We camped in the afternoon at a rancheria known as Jepipa.
The following day we set out from Jepipa to Bahia Honda, our last day's journey by land. The character of the country for the first part was a great improve- ment on that we traversed the previous day, there being excellent pasture land and many inhabitants and cattle. The latter part, however, was through stony and barren lands; we reached Bahia Honda at about 3.30 in the afternoon not sorry that our journey by land had ended. Bahia Honda, as the name indicates, is the name of the bay. On a rocky spur rumming out into the sea is situated a single building surrounded by a few huts; this forms the Coastguards Station. Here we were kindly received by the Commandante, but we were dis- appointed to find no boat in port and none expected for several days. Our animals were absolutely ex- hausted and we could not think of returning with them overland to Rio Hacha. The Commandante came to our rescue and kindly placed at our disposal the Gov- ernment cayuco for our journey by sta. We lost no time in fitting out the canoe for a three days voyage to Rio Hacha and left on the following morning at 4 a. m., sending the horses overland a six days journey to Rio Hacha,
Pearls.
We sailed that day till 8.30 p. m., when we reached Cabo de Vela, and landing spent the night at a rancho
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