71 



taken with respect to the greatest of the feline 

 race of America. What this celebrated writer 

 says of the cowardice of the tigers of the new 

 continent, relates to the small ocelots*; and 

 we shall see shortly, that, at the Oroonoko, the 

 real jaguar of America sometimes leaps into the 

 water, to attack the Indians in their canoes. 



Opposite the cavern of Bermudez, two spa- 

 cious caverns open into the crevice of Cuchi- 

 vano, from which at times flames rush out, that 

 may be seen at a great distance in the night. 

 The adjacent mountains are illuminated by 

 them ; and, judging by the elevation of the 

 rocks, above which these fiery exhalations as- 

 cend, we should be led to think, that they rise 

 several hundred feet. This phenomenon was 

 accompanied by a subterraneous, dull, and long 

 continued noise, at the time of the last great 

 earthquake at Cumana-^. It is observed chief- 

 ly during the rainy season : and the owners of 

 the farms opposite the mountain of Cuchivano 

 assert, that the flames are become more frequent 

 since December 1797. 



In vain we attempted, in an herbalization we 

 made at Rinconada, to penetrate into the cre- 

 vice, wishing to examine the rocks, that seemed 

 to contain in their bosom the cause of these ex- 



* Felis pardalis, Lin., or chibiguazu of Azzara, different 

 from the tlateo oeelotl, or tiger-cat of the Azteques. 

 t See vol. ii, p. 217. 



