184 



of the torrid zone so dangerous to \he inhabit- 

 ants of the countries of the north. 



The soil, on which Cumana is built, forms 

 part of an extent of ground, that is very remark- 

 able in a geological point of view. As since my 

 return to Europe, other travellers have preced- 

 ed me in the description of certain parts of the 

 coasts, which they have visited after me, I shall 

 here confine myself to observations on subjects, 

 that have formed no part of their studies. The 

 chain of the calcareous Alps of Bergantin and 

 Tataraqual stretches east and west from the 

 summit of Impossible to the port of Mochima 

 and to Campanario. The sea, in times far re- 

 mote, appears to have divided this chain of the 

 rocky coasts of Araya and Maniquarez. The 

 vast gulf of Cariaco is owing to an irruption of 

 the sea ; and no doubt can be entertained, but 

 that at this period the waters covered, on the 

 southern bank, the whole of the ground impreg- 

 nated with muriat of soda, through which flows 

 the Manzanares. It requires but a slight in- 

 spection of the topographical plan of the city of 

 Cumana, to render this fact as incontestable as 

 the ancient abode of the sea on the basins of 

 Paris, Oxford, and Rome. The slow retreat of 

 the waters has turned into dry ground this ex- 

 tensive plain, in which rises a group of small 

 hills, composed of gypsum and calcareous brec- 

 cia of very recent formation. 



