ROAD TO CARACCAS. 141 
of it extremely unhealthy. At Cape Blanco the 
gneiss passes into mica-slate, containing beds of chlo- 
rite-slate, in which garnets and magnetic sand occur. 
On the road to Catia the chlorite-slate is seen pass- 
ing into hornblende-slate. At the foot of the pro- 
montory the sea throws on the beach rolled frag- 
ments of a granular mixture of hornblende and 
felspar, in which traces of quartz and pyrites are 
recognised. On the western declivity of that hill 
the gneiss is covered by a recent sandstone or con- 
glomerate, in which are observed angular fragments 
of gneiss, quartz, and chlorite, magnetic sand, ma- 
drepores, and bivalve shells. The latitude of the 
Cape is 10° 36’ 45” ; that of La Guayra is 10° 36’ 19", 
its longitude 67° 5’ 49". 
The road from La Guayra to Caraccas resembles 
the passages over the Alps; but, as it is kept in 
tolerable repair, it requires only three hours to go 
with mules from the: port to the capital, and two 
hours to return. The ascent commences with a 
ridge of rocks, and is extremely laborious. In the 
steepest parts the path winds in a zigzag manner. 
At the Salto, or Leap, there is a crevice which is 
passed by a drawbridge, and on the summit of the 
mountain are fortifications. Half-way is La Ven- 
ta (the Inn) ; beyond which there is a rise of 960 
feet to Guayavo, which is not far from the highest 
part of the route. At the fort of La Cuchilla 
Humboldt was nearly made prisoner by some 
Spanish soldiers, whom he, however, contrived to 
pacify. Round the little inn several travellers 
were assembled, who were disputing on the efforts 
that had been made towards obtaining independ- 
ence; on the hatred of the mulattoes against the 
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