176 



not more than 190 toises above the level of the 

 sea. 



We passed the night under one of those aju- 

 pas, which are called King's houses, and which, 

 as I have already said, serve as tamboes or 

 caravanserays to travellers. The rains pre- 

 vented any observations of the stars ; and the 

 next day, the 23rd of September, we continued 

 our descent toward the Gulf of Cariaco. Be- 

 yond Santa Cruz a thick forest begins anew ; 

 and in it we found, under tufts of melastomas, 

 a beautiful fern, with osmundia leaves, which 

 forms a new genus of the order of the polypo- 

 diaceous plants *. 



Having reached the mission of Catuaro, we 

 were desirous of continuing our journey toward 

 the east by Santa Rosalia, Casanay, San Josef, 

 Carupano, Rio Carives, and the mountain of 

 Paria ; but we learnt with great regret, that the 

 torrents of rain had already rendered the roads 

 impassable, and that we should run the risk of 

 losing the plants we had already gathered. A 

 rich planter of cacao-trees was to accompany 

 us from Santa Rosalia to the port of Carupano . 

 but we were informed in time, that his affairs 

 had called him to Cumana, and we resolved in 

 consequence to embark at Cariaco, and return 

 directly by the Gulf, instead of passing between 



Polybotria. 



