412 



by the winds, and rolling over one another- 

 Objects then appear at a greater depth, than 

 when seen through a pure and uniformly se- 

 rene air. On the declivity of the mountains 

 of Mexico, at the same height (between Las 

 Trancas and Xalapa*),the sea is at twelve leagues 

 distance, and the view of the coast is confused : 

 while on the road from La Guayra to Caraccas 

 we command the plains (the tlerra caliente) 

 as from the top of a tower. We may conceive 

 the impression, which this aspect must leave 

 on persons, who, born in inland countries, con- 

 template the sea and ships for the first time 

 from this point. 



I determined by direct observations the lati- 

 tude of the Venta, to enable myself to give a 

 more precise idea of the distance of the coasts. 

 The latitude is 10° 33' 9". It's longitude ap- 

 peared to me by the chronometerf - nearly % 47" 

 west of the town of Caraccas. I found the dip 

 of the needle at this height to be 41*75°, and 

 the intensity of the magnetic force equal to 

 two hundred and thirty-four oscillations. From 

 the Venta, called also Venta Grande to distin- 

 guish it from three or four small inns established 



* See the profile published in my Atlas of New Spain, 

 Plate 12. 



f The altitudes of the sun, which I took on the 20th of 

 January, 1800, were very near the meridian. (Oh. Ast., torn. 

 i, p. 186.) 



