80 PENINSULA OF ARAYA. 
northerly, which are primitive, constitute the cor- 
dilleras of the island of Margaretta, as well as of 
Araya. The most southerly, the cordillera of Ber- 
gantin and Cocollar, is secondary, although more 
elevated than the others. The two former have 
been separated by the sea, and the islets of Coche 
and Cubagua are supposed to be remnants of the 
submersed land. The Gulf of Cariaco divides the 
chains of Araya and Cocollar, which were connect- 
ed, to the east of the town of Cariaco, between the 
lakes of Campoma and Putaquao, by a kind of dike. 
This barrier, which had the name of Cerro de Mea- 
pire, prevented, in remote times, the waters of the 
Gulf of Cariaco from uniting with those of the Gulf 
of Paria. 
The western slope of the peninsula of Araya, and 
the plains on which rises the castle of St Antony, 
are covered with recent deposites of sandstone, clay, 
and gypsum. Near Manifuarez, a conglomerate with 
ealcareous cement rests on the mica-slate ; while on 
the opposite side, near Punta Delgada, it is superim- 
posed on a compact bluish-gray limestone, contain- 
ing a few organic remains, traversed by small veins 
of calcareous spar, and analogous to that of the Alps. 
The saliferous clay is generally of a smoke-gray 
colour, earthy and friable, but encloses masses of 
a dark-brown tint and more solid texture. Sele- 
nite and fibrous gypsum are disseminated in it. 
Scarcely any shells are to be seen, although the ad- 
jacent rocks contain abundance of them. The mu- 
riate of soda is not discoverable by the naked eye; 
but when a mass is sprinkled with rain-water and 
exposed to the sun, it appears in large crystals. In 
the marsh to the east of the castle of St Jago, which 
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