358 TlMEHRI. 



Arriving at La Guayra on Sunday morning one finds 

 that the trains leave for Caracas conveniently at eight 

 o'clock and in the afternoon at three. The latter time 

 is to be preferred since it gives a longer time to prepare 

 while the heat of the day is greatly diminished. 



The railway from La Guayra to Caracas is a wonderful 

 piece of engineering. It has a narrow gauge of three 

 feet. In some respefts it much resembles the line from 

 Vera Cruz to the city of Mexico, which, at a distance of 

 110 miles from the coast, ascends to a height of 8,000 

 feet, the gradients being about 1 in 27. The Caracas 

 railway was built by English engineers in 1884, and the 

 line was completed in two years under the guidance of 

 Messrs. PERRY & Co. To the credit of the present 

 management, it can be said that no loss of life, nor 

 accident of a serious nature, has occurred. To convey 

 an idea of the character of the railway it may be stated 

 that the line is at places carried along a ledge cut into 

 the face of the perpendicular rock some 3,000 feet high, 

 where a biscuit thrown out of the carriage would fall 

 1,800 feet before touching the ground. The curves of 

 the line are very sharp, and at times the engine appears 

 as if it belonged to another train coming in the opposite 

 direction. 



The scenery between La Guayra and Caracas is superb, 

 and one journeys through wonderful mountain passes, 

 with valleys opening out at every turn The magnificence 

 of the country is better seen on the way down from Cara- 

 cas, and the whole view is then enchanting in the extreme. 



The station, or depot, at Caracas is large and im- 

 posing. The unwary traveller, on his arrival, is at once 

 pounced upon by the natives for the exclusive right of 



