(K) LANDING AT CUMANA. 



CHAPTER V. 



Cumana. 



Landing at Cumana — Introduction to the Governor — State of the 

 Sick — Description of the Country and City of Cumana— Mode of 

 Bathini^ in the Manzanares — Port of Cumana — Earthquakes ; 

 Their Periodicity ; Connexion with the State of the Atmosphere; 

 Gaseous Emanations; Subterranean Noises; Propajjation of 

 Shocks; Connexion between those of Cumana and the West In- 

 dies ; and General Phenomena. 



CHAP. V The city of Cumana, the capital of New Andalusia, is a 

 C:t)'^f~ mile distant from the landing-place, and in proceeding 

 Cumana. towards it our travellers crossed a large sandy plain, 

 which separates the suburb inhabited by the Guayqueria 

 Indians from the seashore. The excessive heat of the 

 atmosphere was increased by the reflection of the sun's 

 rays from a naked soil, the thermometer immersed in 

 which rose to 99 •0°. In the little pools of salt water it 

 remained at 86'9°, while the surface of the sea in the 

 port generally ranges from 77"4° to 79'3'^. The first 

 plant gathered by them was the Avicennia tomentosa, 

 which is remarkable for occurring also on the Malabar 

 coast, and belongs to the small number that live in so- 

 ciety, like the heaths of Europe, and are seen in the 

 torrid zone only on the shores of the ocean and the ele- 

 vated platforms of the Andes. 

 Don Vicente Crossing the Indian suburb, the streets of which were 

 mparau. ^,^^^, j^^,^^^^ ^]^^y ^^.^^.^ conducted by the captain of the 

 I'izarro to the governor of the province, Don Vicente 

 Emparan. who received them with frankness ; expressed 



