68 LANDING AT CUMANA. 
CHAPTER V. 
Cumana. 
Landing at Cumana—Introduction to the Governor—State of the 
Sick—Description of the Country and City of Cumana— Mode of 
Bathing in the Manzanares—Port of Cumana— Earthquakes ; 
Their Periodicity; Connexion with the State of the Atmosphere ; 
Gaseous Emanations; Subterranean Noises; Propagation of 
Shocks ; Connexion between those of Cumana and the West In- 
dies; and General Phenomena. ; 
Tue city of Cumana, the capital of New Andalusia, 
is a mile distant from the landing-place, and in 
proceeding towards it our travellers crossed a large 
sandy plain, which separates the suburb inhabited 
by the Guayqueria Indians from the seashore. The 
excessive heat of the atmosphere was increased by 
the reflection of the sun’s rays from a naked soil, 
the thermometer immersed in which rose to 99-9°. 
In the little pools of salt water it remained at 86:9°, 
while the surface of the sea in the port generally 
ranges from 77°4° to 79:3°. The first plant gathered 
by them was the Avicennia tomentosa, which is re- 
markable for occurring also on the Malabar coast, 
and belongs to the small number that live in so- 
ciety, like the heaths of Europe, and are seen in the 
torrid zone only on the shores of the ocean and the 
elevated platforms of the Andes. 
Crossing the Indian suburb, the streets of which 
were very neat, they were conducted by the captain 
ne 
Te Ot ee ee 
SoTL r See ‘ 
os PT CTT Rn COE eI 
