96 SIERRA DE LOS TAGERES. 
of our country was suddenly awakened by the sounds. 
They were like distant voices, that came from be- 
yond the ocean, and by the magic of which we were 
transported from the one hemisphere to the other. 
Strange mobility of the human imagination, the 
never-failing source of our enjoyments and griefs !” 
In the cool of the morning, they commenced the 
ascent of Turimiquiri, the summit of the Cocollar, 
which with the Brigantine forms a mass of moun- 
tains, formerly named by the natives the Sierra de 
los Tageres. They travelled part of the way on 
horses, which are left to roam at large in these 
wilds, though some of them have been trained to the 
saddle. Stopping at a spring which issued from a 
bed of quartzy sandstone, they found its temperature 
to be 698°. To the height of 4476 feet, this moun- 
tain, like those in its vicinity, was covered with gra- 
mineous plants. The pastures became less rich in 
proportion to the elevation, and wherever the scatter- 
ed rocks afforded a shade lichens and mosses occur- 
red. The summit is 4521 feet above the level of the 
sea. The view from it was extensive and highly pic- 
turesque: chains of mountains, running from east 
to west, enclosed longitudinal valleys, which were 
intersected at right angles by numberless ravines. 
The distant peninsula of Araya formed a dark streak 
on a glittering sea, and the more distant rocks of 
Cape Macanao rose amidst the waters like an im- 
mense rampart. 
On the 14th of September, they descended the 
Cocollar in the direction of San Antonio, where 
was also a mission. After passing over savannahs 
strewed with blocks of limestone, succeeded by a 
dense forest and two very steep ridges, they came 
to a beautiful valley, about twenty miles in length, 
