1869.] TATE — GUYANA, IN VENEZUELA. 343 



acting British Vice-Consul at Giudad Bolivar, has kindly furnished 

 me Avith the following statement concerning the gold produce of the 

 Caratal district : — 



1866 15,587 oz. 



1867 30,142 oz. 



9 months of 1868 22,481 oz. 



These numbers represent the quantities shipped by the Giudad 

 Bolivar merchants * ; and all this gold has been produced from the 

 alluvial diggings, the " tierra de flor," and gold quartz crushed by 

 hand in mortars. I should say that at the present time the gold 

 obtained from lodes by far exceeds in quantity that obtained from 

 other sources. 



The whole of the present workings are comprised within a circle 

 of 3| miles radius, with Nueva Providencia as its centre; but it 

 must not for a moment be imagined that this is the whole of the 

 auriferous region. Two American gentlemen, Messrs. Davis and 

 Austen, found gold on the river Paragua ; and just before leaving I 

 heard of the discovery of a lode of gold-quartz in the hills to the 

 south of Pastora. A little gold has been found at TJpata. Dr. Plas- 

 sard also tells me that a lode of auriferous quartz traverses the bed 

 of the Yuruari at Gura ; and I have heard the same report from Senor 

 Garlos Siegert. It is further known that gold has been found, and 

 even worked on the banks of the Guyuni in British Guiana. All these 

 facts tend to prove that the auriferous rocks are spread over a very 

 considerable area indeed. 



4. Notes on the Geology of Guyana, in Yenezuela. 

 By Kalph Tate, Assoc. Linn. Soc, F.G.S. &c. 



I. Inteoduction. — The observations on which this notice is based 

 were made during a trip of some two months' extent in the latter 

 part of last year, and though having reference to a small section of 

 the province of Guyana, in Yenezuela, yet are applicable to an ex- 

 tensive area. The leading geological features are presented in a line 

 of section from the Orinoco, proceeding in a southerly direction ; my 

 examination extended to the newly discovered auriferous district of 

 Garatal, distant about 140 miles in a right line from Las Tablas, on 

 the Orinoco. 



A few words in elucidation of the physical features of the country, 

 will assist the reader in tracing out the leading geological charac- 

 teristics of Guyana. 



Skirting the Orinoco are the Llanos; these, as elsewhere, are 

 characterized by a growth of coarse grass, Cyperacece, and shrubby 

 trees, the chief of which, and often the only species, is the chaparro 

 (Curtdla Americana); the soil is of the poorest description, being a 

 loose sand, highly absorbent and of great heat-radiating power. 



* The amount in 1866 by no means represents the entire quantity obtained, as 

 a great deal was then smuggled to avoid an export duty of 10 per cent. In 1868 

 the working of the CaUao mine was impeded by water. 



