of an Orchid Hunter, 



to brave all the dangers of the forest (as in other dis- 

 tricts) only to obtain a few dozen of plants. One 



thing- struck me as being more extraordinary than all 

 the peculiarities of the people, country, or constitution 

 — that is, that on a railway where every mile presents 

 a thousand dangers no enterprising life assurance com- 

 pany had so far speculated on human vitality as to 

 issue assurance tickets. 



In the descent of this single line of goat's-track 

 the magnificent scenery appears even more beautiful 

 than on the upward journey, and the track itself, if 

 possible, more dangerous ; for the passengers cannot 

 help wondering where we would stop, providing the 

 brakes failed to act, on a railway which descends a 

 mile in twenty-seven miles of distance. On arriving 

 at La Guayra, we quickly engaged boats for the ship 

 and got on board just as the Phantom was firing a 

 parting salute, no doubt to do honour to the officious 

 custom-house officers. We were quickly on our way 

 for the harbour of Puerto Cabello, meanwhile congratu- 

 lating ourselves that we had received the value of our 

 seventeen shillings with compound interest. 



A few hours' sail, always in sight of the rugged 

 coast of Venezuela, brought us to the harbour of 

 Puerto Cabello, a large old-fashioned lighthouse in the 

 form of a Chinese pagoda, and a still older castellated 

 fort whose hundred pigeon-holes bristle with pigmy 



