File:The land of Bolivar; or, War, peace and adventure in the republic of Venezuela (1878) (14577763798).jpg

Identifier: landofbolivarorw01spen (find matches)
Title: The land of Bolivar; or, War, peace and adventure in the republic of Venezuela
Year: 1878 (1870s)
Authors: Spence, James Mudie
Subjects: Venezuela Venezuela -- Bibliography
Publisher: London : S. Low, Marston, Searle & Rivington
Contributing Library: University of California Libraries
Digitizing Sponsor: MSN

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ponthe shore. Friendly hands were stretched out tograsp mine, and I found myself upon the landing-stage. This is a handsome covered promenade, fullof bustle and business, and graced once or twice a dayby the presence of the belles of the town, when it be-comes a perfect garden of beauty. My baggage wastaken to the Aduana or Custom House, and was soonsurrounded by a crowd of otficials, who, seeing thatthe new-comer was a foreigner and an Englishman,were extremely civil, and took in very good part mydesperate attempts to utilise the knowledge of Spanishwhich I had worked up on the passage. It was agreat disappointment to find that my very bestphrases and idiomatic turns, which had been expectedto excite envy, were not understood; whilst to com-pensate, the revenue-officers talked a dialect ofSpanish quite unintelligible to me. Seeing that Iwas making very heavy weather of it, a Venezuelan,Mr. R. P. Syers, standing by, who had been educatedin England, came to the rescue, and his friendly
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<< CD < _l Li. o HccO Q. UJ II- Chap, i.) THE ADUANA. 17 assistance enabled me to arrange matters. All mypackages were readily passed, except a fowling-piece,which was rated at a very high figure, as, in con-sequence of the civil war, it was not considered wiseto encourage the indiscriminate importation of suchdangerous instruments.^ The Aduana is a two-storied edifice, with wallsstrong and thick enough to be both bomb andearthquake proof. Some pretensions to architecturalefiect have been achieved, but its constructors werechiefly guided by utilitarian motives. The com-modious stores, occupying the whole of the buildingon the ground floor, make it admirably adapted for acustom-house. It is situated at an easy elevationfrom the wharf, and connected with it by a tramway.Running in front of the building is an awning fixed onpillars, rendering its alcoves delightfully cool andpleasant. Like most of the large houses, it is builtin the old Spanish style. In the centre is a gatew^ay

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