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petrified coral, and are shaded by the splendid 

 foliage of the anacardium caracoli, a tree of co- 

 lossal size, to which the natives attribute the 

 property of attracting from great distances the 

 vapours floating in the atmosphere. As the 

 soil of Turbaco is more than three hundred 

 metres above the level of the ocean, a delightful 

 coolness prevails, especially during the night. 

 We resided in this charming spot in the month 

 of April, 1801, when, after a toilsome passage 

 from the island of Cuba to Carthagena, we 

 were preparing ourselves for a long journey to 

 Santa Fe de Bogota, and the elevated plain of 

 Quito. 



The Indians of Turbaco, who accompanied 

 us in our herbalizations, often spoke to us of a 

 marshy country, situate amidst a forest of palm 

 trees, and called by the Creoles the little Volca- 

 noes, los Volcancitos. They related, that ac- 

 cording to a tradition still existing among them, 

 this spot had formerly been in flames ; but that 

 a very pious man, vicar of the village, had suc- 

 ceeded by his frequent aspersions of holy water 

 in extinguishing the subterraneous fire. They 

 added, that, since this time, the fiery volcano 

 had become a water volcano, volcan de agua. 

 From our long residence in the Spanish colonies, 

 we were familiar with the strange and marvellous 

 stories, which the natives eagerly recite, to fix the 



