MANNERS AND CUSTOMS. 



445 



iron. I have observed in several 

 places, and very distinctly, that 

 the sandstone not only reposes on 

 the limestone, but that this last 

 rock frequently includes and al- 

 ternates with the sandstone. 



We distinguished clearly the 

 round summit of the Turimiquiri, 

 and the lofty peaks or Ciicuruchos, 

 covered with a thick vegetation, 

 and inhabited by tigers, which arc 

 hunted on account of their size, 

 and the beauty of their skin. This 

 round summit, which is covered 

 with turf, is 707 toises above the 

 level of the ocean. A ridge of 

 steep rocks stretches out toward 

 the west, and is interrupted at the 

 distance of a mile by an enormous 

 crevice, that descends toward the 

 gulf of Cariaco. At the point 

 where we might suppose the con- 

 tinuation of the ridge, two calca- 

 reous paps or peaks arise, the 

 northernmost of which is the most 

 elevated. It is this last which is 

 more particulai'ly called the Cu- 

 curucho de Turimiquiri, and which 

 is considered as higher than the 

 mountain of the Brigantine,* so 



* This popular opinion on the 

 height of the Brigantine favors the 

 supposition, that the distance from 

 the port of Cumana to the mountain 

 is much less than twenty-four nau- 

 tical miles. For we have seen already 

 (vol. ii, p. 206), that the angles of 

 elevation measured at Cumana give 

 1255 toises for the heiglit of the Bri- 

 gantine, if we admit the exactness of 

 the distance indicated in the map of 

 the Deposito hydrogrujlco at Madrid. 

 I find, that to make the observed 

 angle agree with a supposed eleva- 

 tion of a thousand toises, the summit 

 of the Brigantine cannot be more 

 than nineteen miles distant from 

 Cumana. Tlie chain of the moun- 

 tains of New Andahisia is in the 



well known by the sailors who 

 frequent the coasts of Cumana. 

 We measured by angles of ele- 

 vation, and a basis, rather short, 

 traced on the round summit bare 

 of trees, the peak, or CucuruchOf 

 which was about 350 toises higher 

 than our station, so that its abso- 

 lute height exceeded 1050 toises. 

 The view we enjoyed on the 

 Turimiquiri is of vast extent, and 

 highly picturesque. From the 

 summit to the ocean we perceived 

 chains of mountains extended in 

 parallel lines from east to west, 

 and bounding longitudinal valleys. 

 These valleys are intersected at 

 right angles by an infinite number 

 of small ravines, scooped out by 



same direction as the neighbouring 

 coast, nearly from east to west ; and, 

 admitting a distance more consi- 

 derable than nineteen miles, the Bri- 

 gantine would be more soutli than 

 tlie parallel of CocoUar. But the in- 

 habitants of Cumana wanted to lay 

 out a road to Nueva Barcelona over 

 the Brigantine, and I did not find the 

 latitude of this town less than 10<» 

 6' 52'. This circumstance confirms 

 the result of a trigonometrical calcu- 

 lation made at the Salado de Cu- 

 mana ; while on the other side the 

 magnetic bearing of the Brigantine, 

 taken at the summit of the Impos- 

 sible, gives a greater distance. This- 

 bearing would be highly important, 

 if we were perfectly certain of the 

 longitude of the Impossible, and of 

 the variation of the needle in a place, 

 where the sandstone is strongly im- 

 pregnated with iron. It is the duty 

 of the traveller, to declare with can- 

 dour the doubts he may still enter- 

 tain respecting points, the position 

 of which is not yet sufficiently as- 

 certained. On making land on the 

 coast of Cumana, the pilot reckoned 

 the distance of the Tataraqiwl fifteen 

 or sixteen miles, 



the 



