America: Being the Latest, and Most Accurate Description of the Nevv VVorld / Containing the Original of the Inhabitants, and the Remarkable Voyages Thither. The Conquest of the Vast Empires of Mexico and Peru, and Other Large Provinces and Territories, with the Several European Plantations in Those Parts. Also Their Cities, Fortresses, Towns, Temples, Mountains, and Rivers. Their Habits, Customs, Manners, and Religions. Their Plants, Beasts, Birds, and Serpents. With an Appendix, Containing, Besides Several Other Considerable Additions, a Brief Survey of What Hath Been Discover'd of the Unknown South-land and the Arctick Region.

by John Ogilby

Situation and Description of Venezuela.

The principal part of the Province of Venezuela is border’d on the East with Towns and principal Places of Venezuela. Cumana; on the West, with a great Gulf or Bay, call’d The Bay of Venezuela, with the Lake Maracabo, and some part of New Granada; Northward it hath the Ocean, or Atlantick Sea; Southward, some undiscover’d Countreys, which, as we said, lie betwixt the Andes and it. It stretches out in length from East to West, a hundred and thirty Leagues, or thereabouts, but in breadth little more than half so much; it was nam’d Venezuela, or Little Venice, by Alonso de Ojeda, a Spaniard, who at his first discovery of the Countrey fell upon a Town of the Natives, which stood like another Venice, all upon the Water, and having no passage to it but by Boats. It is a Countrey extraordinary rich in all sorts of Commodities, affords good Pasture for Cattel, and abundance of fair Herds of them, Oxen, Sheep, Swine, &c. plenty of Corn, and other Grain, great store of Venison in the Woods, of Fish in the Rivers, Gold in the Mines, and therefore not likely but to be well peopled and inhabited, especially by the Spaniards, whose Towns and Places of chief importance are these, 1. Venezuela, at the most Westerly Confines of the Countrey, built upon the Sea, with the advantage of a double Haven, in a temperate and good Air, and the Soil round about it the best in the whole Province: It is now a Bishop’s See, who is Suffragan to the Arch-bishop in Hispaniola, and the ordinary Residence of the Governor.

2. Caravalleda, call’d by the Spaniards, Nuestra Sennora de Caravalleda, fourscore Leagues distant from Venezuela towards the East, upon the Sea.

3. St. Jago de Leon, in the Countrey of Caracas, four or five Leagues Southward of Caravalleda, and six or seven distant from the Sea.

4. New Valentia, twenty five Leagues distant from St. Jago.

5. New Xeres, a Town but lately built, fifteen Leagues Southward of New Valentia.

6. New Segovia, but one League distant from Xeres.

7. Tucuyo, a Place well known and frequented, for the abundance of Sugar that is made there, and in the Countrey round about it.

8. Truxillo, or Our Lady de la Paz, eighteen Leagues Southward of the Lake Maracabo, a Place of great resort, and much frequented for Trade both by Spaniards and Natives.

9. Laguna, a Town lying more towards the bottom of the Lake, said to be much haunted with Tygers; and more than this, not much is said of it.