210 THE WORLD'S CHEAT FUTURE 



by extensive plains covered with fine grass ; these plains may 

 be considered as the commencement of the immense savannahs 

 which extend southward. 



The plains <>f Venezuela extend over about 26,000 leagues, or 

 312,000 square miles. This tract, though one immense plain, 

 presents a great variety in elevation, climatic, and productive 

 powers. Some tracts are hardly elevated above the sea, whilst 

 others rise to nearly 1300 ft. Some are arid deserts, while the 

 vegetation of others is extremely vigorous nearly all through 

 fche year. The trees on these plains stand singly or form groves 

 of small extent. 



The Venezuelans are great meat eaters, literally devouring 

 1 heir own flocks of sheep and herds of cattle. The consumption 

 of meat is immense in the country, being almost on a level 

 with Australia. The town of Caracas, with a population 

 of one-tenth that of Paris, consumes more than one-half 

 the quantity of beef annually used in the capital of France. 

 The iguana is eaten and is considered a great dainty. Twenty- 

 five years ago Venezuela had 9,000,000 cattle, 6,000,000 sheep 

 and goats, and nearly 2,000,000 swine. That peculiar animal, 

 the sloth, comes from Venezuela, and so does the ant-eater. 



There is at present one refrigerating plant in Venezuela, viz. 

 the Venezuela Meat and Product Syndicate, Ltd., of London. 

 Jt is situated at Puerto Cabello. 



I have not been to Venezuela since 1884, so have had to rely 

 on books of reference for part of the above. 



