n4 STERRA DE LOS TAGERE3. 



CHAP. VII the distance, as in the deserts of the Orinoco, the 

 Vasrpilin. surface of the ocean supporting the starry vault of 

 heaven. Tlie tree under which we were seated, tlie 

 luminous insects that vaulted in the air, and the con- 

 stellations which shone in the south, seemed to i«ll us 

 that we were far from our native land. In the midst of 

 this exotic nature, when the bell of a cow or the lowing 

 of a bull was heard from tlie bottom of a valley, the 

 remembrance of our country was suddenly awakened by 

 the sounds. They were like distant voices, that came 

 from beyond the ocean, and by the magic of which we 

 were transported from the one hemisphere to the other. 

 Strange mobility of the human imagination, the never- 

 failing source of our enjoyments and griefs !" 

 Accent of In the cool of the morning they commenced the 



Turiraiquiri. ^^.^^^^ ^f Turiiniquiri, the summit of the Cocollar, 

 which with the Brigantine forms a mass of mountains, 

 formerly named by the natives the Sierra de los Tageres. 

 They travelled part of the way on horsis, which are 

 left to roam at large in these wilds, though some of them 

 have been trained to the saddle. Stopping at a spring 

 which issued from a bed of quartzy sandstone, they 

 found its temperature to be 6'J-8°. To the height of 

 4476 feet, this mountain, like those in its vicinity, was 

 covered with gramineous plants. The pastures became 

 less rich in proportion to the elevation, and wherever 

 the scattered rocks afforded a shade lichens and mosses 

 Hiciiest occurred. The summit is 4521 feet above the level of 

 ^**"" the sea. The view from it was extensive and highly 



picturesque : chains of mountains, running from east 

 to west, enclosed longitudinal valleys, which were inter- 

 sected at right angles by numberless ravines. The 

 distant peninsula of Araya formed a dark streak on a 

 glittering sea, and the more distant rocks of Cape 

 Macanao rose amidst the waters like an immense ram- 

 part. 

 CocoDar On the 14th of September they descended the Cocol- 



lar in the direction of San Antonio, where was also a 

 mission. After passin/^ over savannahs strewed with 



