VEGETATION OF THE LLANOS CALABOZO. 167 



are a little larger than the roe of Europe, and have 

 a sleek fawn-coloured pile, spotted with white. 

 Some of them were entirely of the latter hue. 

 Their flesh is good ; and their number is so great 

 that a trade in their skins might be carried on with 

 advantage ; but the inhabitants are too indolent to 

 engage in any active occupation. 



These steppes were principally covered with 

 grasses of the genera killingia, cenchrus, and pas- 

 palum, which at that season scarcely attain a height 

 of nine or ten inches near Calabozo and St. Jerome 

 del Pirital, although on the banks of the Apure and 

 Portuguesa they rise to the length of four feet. 

 Along with these were mingled some turnerae, mal- 

 vacae, and mimosas. The pastures are richest on 

 the banks of the rivers, and under the shade of cory- 

 pha palms. These trees were singularly uniform in 

 size ; their height being from twenty-one to twenty- 

 five feet, and their diameter from eight to ten inches. 

 The wood is very hard, and the fan-like leaves are 

 used for roofing the huts scattered over the plains. 

 A few clumps of a species of rhopala occur here and 

 there. 



The philosophers suffered greatly from the heat 

 in crossing the Mesa de Calabozo. Whenever the 

 wind blew the temperature rose to 104 or 106, and 

 the air was loaded with dust. The guides advised 

 them to fill their hats with the rhopala leaves, to 

 prevent the action of the solar rays on the head, 

 and from this expedient they derived considerable 

 benefit. 



At Calabozo they experienced the most cordial 

 hospitality from the administrator of the Real Ha- 

 cienda, Don Miguel Cousin. The town, which is 

 situated between the Guarico and the Urituco, has 

 a population of 5000. The principal wealth of the 

 inhabitants consists of cattle, of which it was com- 

 puted that there were 98,000 in the neighbour- 

 ing pastures. M. Depons estimates tits number in 



