Personal Narrative Of Travels To The Equinoctial Regions Of America During The Years 1799-1804 - Volume 1 - By Alexander Von Humboldt And Aime Bonpland.
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In A Fine Moonlight Night, Chairs
Were Placed In The Water; The Men And Women Were Lightly Clothed,
As In
Some baths of the north of Europe; and the family and
strangers, assembled in the river, passed some hours in
Smoking
cigars, and in talking, according to the custom of the country, of
the extreme dryness of the season, of the abundant rains in the
neighbouring districts, and particularly of the extravagancies of
which the ladies of Cumana accuse those of Caracas and the
Havannah. The company were under no apprehensions from the bavas,
or small crocodiles, which are now extremely scarce, and which
approach men without attacking them. These animals are three or
four feet long. We never met with them in the Manzanares, but with
a great number of dolphins (toninas), which sometimes ascend the
river in the night, and frighten the bathers by spouting water.
The port of Cumana is a roadstead capable of receiving the fleets
of Europe. The whole of the Gulf of Cariaco, which is about 35
miles long and 48 broad, affords excellent anchorage. The Pacific
is not more calm on the shores of Peru, than the Caribbean Sea from
Porto-cabello, and especially from Cape Codera to the point of
Paria. The hurricanes of the West Indies are never felt in these
regions. The only danger in the port of Cumana is a shoal, called
Morro Roxo. There are from one to three fathoms water on this
shoal, while just beyond its edges there are eighteen, thirty, and
even thirty-eight.
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