446 



east toward Caurimare and the Cuesta de Au- 

 yamas, and which is two leagues and a half in 

 breadth. This plain, through which runs the 

 Rio Guayra, is four hundred and fourteen toises 

 in height above the level of the sea. The 

 ground, which the town of Caraccas occupies, 

 is uneven, and has a steep slope from N. N. W. 

 to S. S. E. In order to form an exact idea of 

 the situation of Caraccas, we must recollect the 

 general disposition of the mountains of the 

 coast, and the great longitudinal vallies, by 

 which they are traversed. The river Guayra 

 rises in the group of primitive mountains of 

 Higuerota, which separates the valley of Ca- 

 raccas from that of Aragua. It is formed near 

 Las Ajuntas by the junction of the little rivers 

 of San Pedro and Macarao, and runs first to 

 the east as far as the Cuesta of Auyamas, and 

 then to the south, to unite it's waters with those 

 of Rio Tuy, below Yare. The Rio Tuy is the 

 only considerable river in the northern and 

 mountainous part of the province. 



It follows regularly the direction from west 

 to east for thirty leagues, in a straight line, more 

 than three quarters of which are navigable. By 

 barometrical measurements I found the slope 

 of the Tuy for this length, from the plantation 

 of Manterola * to it's mouth, east of Cape Co- 



* At the foot of the high mountain of Cocujza, 3' east 

 from Victoria, 



