10 



AMAZONIA AND LA PLATA. 



tropical vegetation ; hence the same species occur on their slopes and summits as 

 on the surrounding plains, and. their thickets everywhere present the same 

 obstacles to the progress of the wayfarer. The winter fogs also, which creep up 

 to the highest summits, make all observations almost impossible. 



Of two hundred peaks scaled by Coudreau not more than three rise above the 

 forest vegetation, so that from these alone it is possible to obtain a complete 

 view of the horizon and to follow the outlines of the surrounding heights. Of 

 these natural observatories the finest appears to be Mitaraca, a summit 1,900 feet 

 high, terminating in a bare granite cone, which affords not a single tuft of grass 

 to help the climber and save him from a dangerous fall. Nevertheless, Coudreau 



Fig 3. — Tumtjc-Htmac Mottntains. 

 Scale 1 : 2,400,000. 



^SSfi" ' °"^"'"" ' 















m:^-. 



Vvest oPGreei^wich 



53° 



60 Miles. 



assures us that the ascent and the unrivalled prospect commanded by Mitaraca is 

 worth the journey from Paris to the Guianas." * 



Viewed as a whole, the Tumuc-Humac range is disposed in the direction of 

 the east by south, parallel with the section of the coast comprised between the 

 Maroni and Oyapok estuaries. In the western region the system develops two 

 distinct chains separated by an intervening space of some 25 miles. In the 

 northern chain rises the Mitaraca " belvedere," while the culminating peaks, 

 Timotakem and Temomaïrem, dominate the southern ridge. 



Towards the east the two chains are connected by transverse offshoots, and 

 towards the north they throw off ramifying ridges, which enclose the Maroni 

 basin and separate it from that of the Oyapok. Farther on the eastern section 

 of the system is prolonged in the direction of the east, without, however, forming 

 a continuous divide between the river valleys. 



* Etude de la chaîne des monts Tumuc-Humac ; MS. Memoir. 



