112 
than even the Europeans. The latter, 
although commercial interests have led 
them to form establishments on the coasts, 
and more partially on the great rivers, 
may be said to live in a state of perpetual 
hostility with the climate. Their com- 
plexions become sallow ; their frames fee- 
ble; and, although where heat is uncom- 
bined with great moisture, as in Cumana, 
Cero, and Maracaybo, they are subject to 
few diseases of a violent character; the 
strength is gradually undermined, and the 
species may be rather said to vegetate than 
to increase. The individuals of African 
race, who complain of cold when the 
yearly mean is 75°, alone develop all the 
physical strength and energy of their cha- 
racter in the hot lowlands of the coast and 
interior. The mixed race, or people of 
colour, unite to bodily hardihood, intre- 
pidity, ambition, and a deadly feeling of 
those prejudices which, in spite of laws, 
continue to separate them from the white 
descendants of the Spaniards, who thus 
encounter, both in the high and lowlands, 
two races, in whom the seeds of hostility 
have been sown by injustice; and, fostered 
by mistaken feelings of interest and vanity, 
know not how soon they may ripen to a 
vengeance destructive of all the prospects 
of civilization. It is on the mountain 
slopes of from 3,000 to 7,000 feet, we meet 
with a climate analogous to our ideas 
both of health and pleasure. Raised above 
the noxious miasmata of the coast, we 
dwell in perpetual summer, amid the 
rich vegetable productions of nature — 
amid a continued succession of fruits and 
flowers. This picture, however, must not 
be considered as universally exact. In 
the unbroken forests, where population 
has made little progress, the sky is often 
clouded, and the soil deluged with conti- 
nual The western declivities of the 
Andes, which front the Pacific, are parti- 
cularly exposed to this inconvenience. 
It might be expected that, with re 
however, as in as regards the bano 
PHYSICAL AND GEOGRAPHICAL OBSERVATIONS 
of European race, does not seem exactly — 
to take place. It is true they escape the — 
bilious and intermittent fevers, so preva- E. 
lent in the lowlands ; but they are gene- 
rally subject to typhus, dropsy, goitre, and 
such complaints as indicate constitutional 
debility, Nor do we find among them 
either the muscular strength or longevity - 
of the Indians or Africans, and still less of 
the nations of northern Europe. Are the 
diurnal changes of temperature, to which 
they are exposed, less favourable to health 
than the alternation of European seasons, 
which expose the frame to changes equally 
great, but less rapid? Or, must we rather 
look for the cause in their domestic habits, 
which exhibit a strange mixture of effemi- 
nacy and discomfort ? 
When we examine the social and politi- 
cal effects of climate and localities, we are 
struck with their powerful effect on the 
past struggles and present fate of the coun- 
try. The cities of the coast must be con- 
sidered as the inlets, both of European 
products and European ideas. Liberal 
the difference betwixt Venezuela and the 3 
South and centre of Colombia, indicating — 
a distinct and more rapid career of civi- - 
lization and prosperity. The branch of . 
the Andes, which transverses Venezuela, is 
much inferior in elevation to the ridges 
of Quito and New Grenada. The whole of 
the inhabited part of it belongs to the hot 
country, or temperate mountain zone. The 
following are the heights of the principal - 
towns through its whole extent :— 
Feet. Mean temp. 
Caracas ..... 2908... ZI PN 
Valencia..... L406 .... 70e 
Barquisimeto. 485 .... 78° 
Toniyo.;.... 2,058 75^ 
o aos . fie 
Merida...... 5,280 .... 66° 
Cucuta, about 400 .... 83° 
The differences of climate and produc- 
tions, betwixt the different parts of bc 
