156 RAVINE OF TIPE. 
In the course of their investigations the travellers 
examined the ravine of Tipe, situated in that part of 
the valley which opens toward Cape Blanco. The 
first portion of the road was over a barren and rocky 
soil, on which grew a few plants of Argemone Mexi- 
cana. On either side of the defile was a range of 
bare mountains, and at this spot the plain on which 
the town is built communicates with the coast near 
Catia by the valleys of Tacagua and Tipe. In 
the former they found some plantations of maize 
and plantains, and a very extensive one of cactuses 
fifteen feet high. They met with several veins of 
quartz, containing pyrites, carbonated iron-ore, sul- 
phuretted silver, and gray copper. The works that 
had been undertaken were superficial, and now 
filied up. 
