94 



pine limestone, like that of Cumanacoa, and a 

 pretty thin strata of marl and quartzose sand- 

 stone. The limestone contains masses of brown 

 oxidated iron, and carbonat of iron. I have ob- 

 served in several places, and very distinctly, 

 that the sandstone not only reposes on the lime- 

 stone, but that this last rock frequently includes 

 and alternates with the sandstone. 



We distinguished clearly the round summit 

 of the Turimiquiri, and the lofty peaks or Cucu 

 rucftos, covered with a thick vegetation, and 

 inhabited by tigers, which are hunted on ac- 

 count of their size, and the beauty of their skin. 

 This round summit, which is covered with turf, 

 is 707 toises above the level of the ocean. A 

 ridge of steep rocks stretches out toward the 

 West, and is interrupted at the distance of a 

 mile by an enormous crevice, that descends to- 

 ward the gulf of Cariaco. At the point where 

 we might suppose the continuation of the ridge, 

 two calcareous paps or peaks arise, the northern- 

 most of which is the most elevated. It is this 

 last which is more particularly called the Cucu- 

 rucho de Turimiquiri, and which is considered 

 as higher than the mountain of the Brigantine*, 



* This popular opinion on the height of the Brigantine 

 favors the supposition, that the distance from the port of 

 Cumana to the mountain is much less than twenty -four nau- 

 tical miles. For we have seen already (vol. ii, p. 206), that 

 the angles of elevation measured at Cumana give 1255 



