453 



the alpine rosetree* of equinoctial America, is 

 in blossom. The rocky masses rise above this 

 zone in the form of woody domes. Destitute 

 of vegetation, they increased by the nakedness 

 of their surface the apparent height of a moun- 

 tain, which in temperate Europe would scarcely 

 enter on the limit of perpetual snows. The cul- 

 tivated region of the valley, and the gay fields 

 of Chacao, Petare, and La Vega, form an agree- 

 able contrast to the imposing aspect of the 

 Silla, and the great heavings of the ground on 

 the north of the town. 



The climate of Caraccas has often been called 

 a perpetual spring. It is found every where, 

 half way up the Cordilleras of Equinoctial 

 America, between four hundred and nine hun- 

 dred toises of elevation, unless the great breadth 

 of the valley joined to an arid soil causes an 

 extraordinary intensity -j- of radiant caloric. 

 What indeed can we imagine more delightful, 

 than a temperature, which in the day keeps 

 between 20° and 26° % ; and at night between 

 16° and 18° which is equally favourable to the 

 plantain (cambury), the orange-tree, the cof- 

 fee-tree, the apple, the apricot, and corn t A 



* Rhododendron ferrugineum of the Alps. 

 + As at Carthago and Ibagua in New Grenada. See my 

 Proleg. de Disirib. Geogr. Plant, p. 98. 

 X Between 16° and 20'8° Reaum. 

 § Between 12 8° and 14*4° Reaum. 



