FROM CORUNNA TO PUERTO CABELLO. 273 



mountains of Los Tequos, the hot springs of Mariare and 

 Trinchera, and the northern shore of the romantic lake of 

 Valencia, where they made the discovery of the cow-tree, so 

 called from its yielding milk : thence they journeyed through 

 New Valencia and over the mountain range of Higuerote, in 

 the midst of a picturesque country abounding with glorious 

 vegetation, to Puerto Cabello, ' a wonderful and magnificent 

 harbour,' the most western point of their wanderings. 



Shortly before leaving Caracas, Humboldt wrote, on Fe- 

 bruary 3, 1800, in the following grateful strain to Baron von 

 Forell : l - 



' I need scarcely assure you how often I am reminded to 

 whom I am indebted for the privilege of being here, nor to 

 whom the thanks of the public will be due for the results, 

 whatever may be their value, which may accrue from my ex- 

 pedition to the West Indies. While traversing the vast ocean 

 separating Europe from the continents washed by the Pacific, 

 while exploring the wild banks of the Gruarapichi, or penetrating 

 the primeval forests of the valleys of the Tumiriquiri, the 

 thought of my kind friend has been ever before me. Gratitude 

 is the first law of our being, and the natural philosopher, 

 while studying the laws of Nature, should yield them unhesi- 

 tating obedience.' . . . 



He then continues : ' The farther we pressed into the 

 interior, in visiting the mission stations among the Chaymas, 

 the more heartily we congratulated ourselves that we had not . 

 gone on to Havana. It would have been very tantalising to have 

 been so near the coast of Paria, the wonders of the Orinoco, 

 the immense chain of Cordilleras stretching from Quito east- 

 ward to Carupana, to say nothing of the majestic vegetation 

 which Jacquin has so graphically portrayed in his works, and 

 yet not to have been able to devote to the examination of these 

 wonders of Nature more than the three days during which the 

 mail stopped at Cumana. . . . Had we first landed at Havana or 

 Caracas, we should have found ourselves surrounded by evidences 

 of European civilisation ; but in the Grulf of Cariaco, where the 

 wild Indians of the lagunes (Gruaraunos del arco) are within 



1 De la Roquette, ' Humboldt, Correspond, scientif. et litter.' vol. i. p. SO. 

 VOL. I. T 



