Si6 



stationary, and form the celebrate*! lakes of Guanaaaciic, 

 which extend raore than firty leagues from north to south 

 and, at length, through a channel that receives the river Tu- 

 najau, lose themselves in the Pampas. These lakes abound 

 with excellent trout and king- fish, and all the salt that is used 

 in Cujo is obtained from them. The eastern part of this pro- 

 vince, called la Punta, presents an appearance entirely dif- 

 ferent from the rest, and is watered by the rivers Contara and 

 Quinto, and by everal other streams. The plains are covered 

 with beautiful trees, and the herbage grows to such a height, 

 as in many places to conceal the horses ; but thunder storms 

 are more violent than in any other part of Cujo, and continue 

 for hours accompanied with immoderate rain. 



Of the trees of Cujo, one of the most remarkable is that 

 called Palma, from its resembling, in its branches and fruit, 

 the palm of Chili ; it differs, however, in its height, which 

 never exceeds eighteen feet, and in the manner of putting 

 forth its bsanches, which are so near the ground as to prevent 

 the trunk from being seen. Its leaves are hard, and terminate 

 in a point as sharp as that of a sword. TJie l^ruit, though si- 

 milar in appearance to the cocoa-nut, contains no kernel or 

 substance that is edible, but merely a few round hard seeds. 

 The most singular part of this tree is the sleni, or trunk, which 

 is very large. The outer bark is blackish, and is easily de- 

 tached ; Ibis is siircocdcd by fi\c or six interior layers, of so 

 l>erfecl a texture thai thiy apjxar as if ^\roug!il in a loom. 

 The fir-l is of a yoiluuish colour, aud of t!u' ((insistency of 

 sailcloth; the otiiers regui.iriy dei leas*? in thi(;l,nes>, and be- 

 :omc gradually whiter to the, inuermo=;t, which is as fine and 

 wl.ite as ci.n.hr'ic, but of a looser t^\ture. The thread oi 

 Mitsc cloths id strong and flexible, but not so soft to the toucli 

 as that of flax. Cujo also contains great (piantities of the 

 OpuTitia, a species of Cactus that furuislics the cochineal. Th* 

 iiatives have a practice of stringing tlios(> insects upon a thread 

 Tvith a ne(ile, which conimuuirales to tlum a blacki-h fii\t. 



