63 



EXCURSION" TO ARAYA. 



river. As the boat descended the stream, they ob- 

 served a company of negroes dancing to the music 

 of the guitar by the light of bonfires, — a practice 

 which they prefer to mere relaxation or sleep, on 

 their days of rest. 



The bark in which they passed the Gulf of Cari- 

 aco was commodious, and large skins of the jaguar 

 were spread for their repose during- the night. The 

 cold, however, prevented them from sleeping, al- 

 though, as they were surprised to find, the ther- 

 mometer was as high as ?r*2°. The circumstance 

 that in a warm country a degree of cold which would 

 be productive of no inconvenience to the inhabitant 

 of a temperate climate, excites a disagreeable feel- 

 ing:, is worthy of the attention of physiologists. 

 When Bouguer reached the summit of Pelee, in the 

 island of Martinico, he trembled with cold, although 

 the beat was above ?0'7 Q ; and in heavy showers 

 at Cumana, when the thermometer indicates the 

 same temperature, the inhabitants make bitter com- 

 plaints. 



About eight in the morning they landed at the 

 point of Araya. near the new salt-works, which are 

 situated in a plain destitute of vegetation. From 

 this spot are seen the islet of Cubagua, the lofty 

 hills of Margaretta, the ruins of the castle of St. 

 Jago. the Cerro de la Vela, and the limestone ridge 

 of the Bergantin, bounding the horizon towards the 

 south. Here salt is procured by digging brine-pits 

 in the clayey soil, which is impregnated with mu- 

 riate of soda. In 1799 and 1800 the consumption 

 of this article in the provinces of Cumana and Bar- 

 celona amounted to 9000 or 10,000 fanegas, each 

 16 arrobas, or 405jlbs. avoirdupois. Of this quan- 

 tity the salt-works of Araya yield only about a 

 third part ; the rest being obtained from sea-water 

 in the Morro of Barcelona, at Pozuelos, at Piritu, 

 and in the Golfo Triste. 



In order to understand the geological relations of 



