1\ SIOH1 OF LAND. 



1 wishing to visit Mexico until they had rrade some 

 sojourn on the ' ol Venezuela and Paria, they 



thought it besl to land at Cumana. 1 1 1 mi) >< »1< It waa 

 auxioua to behold in thru- native Bite the beautiful 

 tropic plants which he had Been in the conservatory at 

 Vienna. 



< »ii the morning of the L5th they perceived a very low 

 islet, covered with a few sandy downs, <>n which they 

 could discover with their glasses no trace of habitation 

 or culture. Cylindrical cactuses rose here and there in 

 the form of candelabra. The soil, almost destitute of 

 vegetation, seemed to have a waving motion, in eonse- 

 quence of the extraordinary refraction which the rays 

 of the sun underwent in traversing the strata of air in 

 contact with plains strongly heated. Under every zone, 

 deserts and sandy Bhores appear like an agitated sea, 

 from the i ffi cl of mirage. 



The i -, seen at a distance, Were like clouds, in 



which each observer met the form of the objects that 

 occupied his imagination. The bearings of the vessel, 

 and the chronometer being at variance with the charts 

 which they had to consult, the crew and the passengers 



wen- lost in v;iin conjectures. Sonic took mounds of 



sand tor Indian huts, and pointed out the place where 



they alleged the fort of Pampatar was situated ; others 



•v herds of goats, which were common in the dry 



valley of St John; or descried the lofty mountains of 



MacanaO, which seemed t0 them partly hidden by the 



cloud-. The captain resolved to send a pilot on shore, 



and the men were preparing to get out the long-boat 



when two canoes were perceived sailing along the coast. 



asel fired a gun as a signal for them, and hoisted 



