MESA DE PAVONES. 



173 



vear, the animal had no doubt entered at that period 

 and concealed itself in the mire. Tlie Indians oiten 

 find enormous boas, or water-serpents, in the same 

 lethararic state. , 



On the 25th March they passed over the smooth- 

 est part of the steppes of Caraccas, the Mesa de Pa- 

 vones. As far as the eye could reach, no object 

 fifteen inches high could be discovered, excepting 

 cattle, of which they met some large herds, accom- 

 nanied by flocks of the crotophaga am, a bird ot a 

 black colour, with olive reflections. Tliey were ex- 

 ceedingly tame, and perched upon the quadrupeds in 



search of insects. . ^^ r a 



Wherever excavations had been made, they tound 

 the rock to be old red sandstone or conglomerate, 

 in which were observed fragments of quartz, kiesel- 

 schiefer, and lydian stone. The cementing clay is 

 ferruginous, and often of a very bright red. ihis 

 formation, which covers an extent of several thou- 

 sand square leagues, rests on the northern margin 

 of the plains upon transition-slate, and to the south 

 upon the granites of the Orinoco. , ^ , , 

 After wandering a long tune on the desert and 

 pathless savannas of the Mesa de Pavones, they 

 were agreeably surprised to find a sohtary farm- 

 house surrounded with gardens and pools of clear 

 water Farther on they passed the night near the 

 villa"-e of San Geronymo del Guyaval, situated on 

 the banks of the Rio Guarico, which joins the Apure. 

 The ecclesiastic, who was a young man, and had no 

 other habitation than his church, received them m 

 the kindest manner. Crossing the Guanco, they en- 

 camped in the plain, and early in the morning pur- 

 sued their way over low grounds, which are often 

 inundated. On the 27th they arrived at the Villa de 

 San Fernando, and terminated their journey over the 



llanos. 



P3 



