VIlSlNr. OR HOWLING MONKEYS. JGl 



CHAPTER XV. 



Journey across the Llanos from Arayuti to Su7i Fernando. 



Mountains between the Valleys of Araf^ua and the Llanos — Their 

 Geological Constitution — Tlie Llanos of Caraccas — Route over 

 the Savannah to the Rio Apure— Cattle and Deer — Vetjetation 

 — Calabozo— Gymnoti or Electric F.els — Indian Girl — Alligators 

 and Boas — Arrival at San Fernando de Apure. 



From the chain of mountains which borders the Lake chap, xv, 

 of Valencia toward the south, there stretches in the savannahs of 

 same direction a vast extent of level land, constituting Caraccas. 

 the Llanos or Savannahs of Caraccas ; and from the 

 cultivated and populous district of Aragua, embellished 

 with mountains and rivers, and teeming with vegetation, 

 one descends into a parched desolate plain, bounded by 

 the horizon. On this route we now accompany out 

 travellers, who on the 6th March left the valleys of 

 Aragua, and keeping along the south-west side of the 

 lake, passed over a rich champaign country covered with 

 calabashes, water-melons, and plantains. The rising of Sunrise. 

 the sun was announced by the howling of monkeys, of 

 which they saw numerous bands moving as in procession 

 from one tree to another. These creatures (the Simla 

 ursina) execute their evolutions with singular uni- 

 formity. When the boughs of two trees do not touch 

 each other, the leader of the party swings himself by 

 the tail upon the nearest twigs, the rest following in 

 regular succession. The distance to which their bowlings 

 may be heard was ascertained by Humboldt to be 1705 

 yards. The Indians assert that one always chants as 

 leader of the choir ; and the missionaries say that when 



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