LANDING AT CUMANA. 59 



CHAPTER V. 



Cumana. 



Landing at Cumana— Introduction to the Governor— State of the Sick— 

 Description of the Country and City of Cumana-Mode of Bathing in 

 the Manzanares— Port of Cumana— Earthquakes ; Their Periodicity; 

 Connexion with the State of the Atmosphere; Gaseous Emanations; 

 Subterranean Noises ; Propagation of Shocks ; Connexion between 

 those of Cumana and tlie West Indies ; and general Phenomena. 



The city of Cumana, the capital of New-Andalu- 

 sia, is a mile distant from the landing-place, and in 

 proceeding- towards it our travellers crossed a large 

 sandy plain, which separates the suburb inhabited 

 by the Guayqueria Indians from the seashore. The 

 excessive heat of the atmosphere was increased by 

 the reflection of the sun's rays from a naked soil, 

 the thermometer immersed in which rose to QQ-g^". 

 In the little pools of salt water it remained at 86 -9° j 

 while the surface of the sea in the port generally 

 ranges from 77.-4° to 79-3°. The first plant gathered 

 by them was the Avicomia tomentosa, which is re- 

 markable for occurring also on the ]Malabar coast, 

 and belongs to the small number that live in society, 

 like the heaths of Europe, and are seen in the torrid 

 zone only on tlie shores of the ocean and the ele- 

 vated platforms of the Andes. 



Crossing the Indian suburb, the streets of which 

 were very neat, they were conducted by the captain 

 of the Pizarro to the governor of the province, Don 

 Vicente Emparan, who received them with frank- 

 ness ; expressed his satisfaction at the resolution 

 which they had taken of remaining for some time 

 in New-Andalusia ; showed them cottons died with 

 native plants, and furniture made of indigenous wood ; 

 and surprised them with questions indicative of 



