120 



ARRIVAL AT LA GCAYRA. 



Anival at 

 Curuccas. 



CHAP. XI. tains were every where precipitous, and from 8200 to 

 Precipitous 4300 feet liigli, while along the shore was a tract of low 

 Biuuntains. huniid land, glowing with verdure, and producing a 

 great part of tlie fruits found so abundantly in the 

 neighbouring markets. The peaks of Niguatar and the 

 Silla of Caraccas form the loftiest summits of this chain. 

 In the fields and valleys the sugar-cane and maize are 

 cultivated. To the west of Caravalleda the declivities 

 along shore are again very steep. After passing this 

 place they discovered the village of Macuto, the black 

 rocks of La Guayra covered with batteries, and in the 

 distance the long promontory of Cape Blanco, with 

 conical summits of dazzling whiteness. 



Humboldt landed at Guayra, and in the evening 

 arrived at Caraccas, four days sooner than his fellow- 

 travellers, who had suffered greatly from the rains and 

 inundations. The former he describes as rather a road 

 tlian a port, the sea being always agitated, and ships 

 suffering from the action of the wind, the tideways, the 

 bad anchorage, and the worms. The lading is taken in 

 with difficulty. The free mulattoes and negroes, who 

 carry the cocoa on board the ships, are remarkable for 

 their strength. They go througli the water up to tlieir 

 middles, although this place abounds in sharks, from 

 which, however, they have in reality nothing to dread. 

 It is singular, that while these animals are dangerous 

 and bloodthirsty at the island opposite the coast of 

 Caraccas, at the Roques, at Buenos Ayres, and at 

 Curassao, they do not disturb persons swimming in the 

 ports of Guayra and Santa Martha. As an analogous 

 fact, Humboldt mentions that the crocodiles of one pool 

 in the Llanos are cowardly, while those of another 

 attack with the greatest fierceness. 



The situation of La Guayra resembles that of Santa 

 Cruz in Teneriffe ; the houses, which are built on a flat 

 piece of ground about G40 feet broad, being backed by a 

 wall of rock, beyond which is a chain of mountains. 

 The town consists of two parallel streets, and contains 

 COOO or 8000 inhabitants. The heat is greater than 



Sharks. 



L:i Guayia. 



