92 



VEGETATION AND ANIMALS. 



Talms. 



CHAP. VIII. trees of stupendous size. The guides pointed out some 

 ln,n,~ whose height exceeded 130 feet, while the diameter of 

 trees. many of the curucays and hymeneas was more than 



three yards. Next to these, the plants which most 

 attracted their notice were the dragon's-blood {Crotov 

 sanguifluurn), the purple juice of which flowed along the 

 whitish bark, various species of palms, and arborescent 

 ferns of large size. The old trunks of some of the latter 

 were covered with a cai-bonaceous powder, having a 

 metallic lustre like graphite. 



As they descended the mountain the tree-ferns dimi- 

 nished, while the number of palms increased. Large- 

 winged butterflies (riymphales) became more common^ 

 and every thing showed that they were approaching the 

 coast. The weather was cloudy, the heat oppressive, 

 and the howling of the monkeys gave indication of a 

 coming thunder-stonn. These creatures, the arguatoes, 

 resemble a young bear, and are about three feet long 

 from the top of the head to the root of the tail. The 

 fur is bushy and reddish-brown, the face blackish-blue, 

 with a bare and wrinkled skin, and the tail long and 

 prehensile. 



While engaged in observing a troop of them cross the 

 road upon the horizontal branches of the trees, the 

 travellers met a company of naked Indians proceeding 

 towards the mountains of Caripe. The men were 

 armed with bows and arrows, and the women, heavily 

 laden, brought up the rear. They marched in silence, 

 with their eyes fixed on the ground. Our philosophers, 

 oppressed with the increasing heat and faint with fatigue, 

 endeavoured to learn from them the distance of the 

 missionary convent of Vera Cruz, where they intended 

 to pass the night ; but little information could be ob- 

 tained on account of their imperfect knowledge of the 

 Spanish language. 



Continuing to descend amid scattered blocks, they 

 unexpectedly found themselves at the end of the forest, 

 wlien tliey entered a savannah, the verdure of which 

 hud been renewed by the winter rains. Here they had 



Trnvellir.g 

 Jiidicin!!. 



