SCENEKY OF THE RIO GUAIEA. 31 



At three o'clock, upon tlie morning of tlie 15th of Au- 

 gust, we were riding rapidly through the streets of the 

 slumbering capital, scarcely able to keep pace with our 

 i7iuchacho, who ran by the side of the baggage-animals. 

 Our course led us along the Rio Guaira through a most 

 charming valley, whose beauty was enhanced by the light 

 of a full moon, which threw weird shadows doAvn the bro- 

 ken slopes of the precipitous mountains that rose upon 

 cither side. Just as we were falling into a poetical mood, 

 we were aroused by the imperative demands of a toll-gate 

 official, to whom we paid twenty-five cents for each mule, 

 which exorbitant exaction destroyed our good-humor for 

 the remainder of the day. The river, along which we 

 journeyed was bordered with cana hrava^ a gramineous 

 plant {Gynesium sacharoides), which attains a height of 

 fifteen to twenty feet, and is much used in the construc- 

 tion of fences and buildings. The declivities were cov- 

 ered with magueys, the last we met with in the country. 

 Often have we recalled the giant form of this arborescent 

 plant, which lends so strange a beauty to the landscape 

 of its mountain-home. 



At length we commenced the ascent of Iliguerote, still 

 following the course of the Guaira, v/hich takes its rise 

 among the elevated peaks of this mountain-range. In 

 places the road led through deep ravines along the stream, 

 then over rugged summits, and on the steep side of preci- 

 pices, while far below we beheld the rushing torrent of the 

 Guaira as it went plunging and foaming down the heights 

 through rocky gorges worn by the incessant flow of waters 

 for many ages. After an easy ascent, but one difficult and 

 wearisome when made with a coach, we arrived at the 

 summit, where we were greeted with one of Nature's finest 

 pictures. Beneath us was one of the far-famed valleys of 

 Aragua, bounded by wooded slopes, upon- which here and 

 there a hut was nestled in some quiet nook amid growing 



