72 CRUISE OF THE BARRERA 



and as far as we could discover, devoid of any- 

 fossil traces of organic life. The company road 

 winds about through these hills with a gradual 

 ascent following as far as possible the crests and 

 ridges of the hills to avoid the washouts to which a 

 valley course would subject it. 



The vegetation of the pine hills is very scant 

 for a tropical region, the royals entirely disappear 

 and are replaced by another feather-leaf palm 

 (Calyptronoma swartzi). On the slopes of the 

 hills are occasionally found groups of Copernicia 

 with gray leaves and slender stems, at this time 

 in full bloom, though quite different from the 

 stronger growing and richer colored species of the 

 plain. Here and there in the valleys we noted a 

 tree fern (Cyathea) which occasionally reaches a 

 height of fifteen feet. In the lower parts of the 

 hills was an occasional fine Ceiba, or silk cotton 

 tree, but on higher elevations these are replaced 

 by the Cashew-nut (Anacardtum occidentale) 

 which flourish everywhere in the poorest soil. The 

 entire region is thinly covered with tall straight 

 pines (Pinus carihcEo) now mostly dead, the 

 result evidently of the great hurricane of a few 

 years ago. Whether this wholesale destruction of 



