483 



of the sea, that is, nearly eighty toises higher 

 than at the Venta, where we enjoyed so mag- 

 nificent a view of the coast. Our guides thought, 

 that it would require six hours more to reach 

 the summit of the Siila. 



We crossed a narrow dike of rocks covered 

 with turf ; which led us from the promontory 

 of the Puerta to the ridge of the great moun- 

 tain. The eye looks down on two vallies, or 

 rather crevices, filled with a thick vegetation. 

 On the right is perceived a ravin, that des- 

 cends between the two peaks to the farm of 

 Munoz ; on the left we look over the crevice 

 of Chacaito, the lavish waters of which gush 

 out near the farm of Gallego. The noise of the 

 cascades is heard, while the torrent is unseen, 

 being concealed under a thick shade of erythrina, 

 clusia, and the Indian fig-tree *. Nothing can 

 be more picturesque in a climate, where so many 

 plants have broad, large, shining, and coriace- 

 ous leaves, than the aspect of trees at a great 

 depth, and illumined by the almost perpendicu- 

 lar rays of the Sun. 



From the Puerta the ascent becomes more 

 steep. We were obliged to bend ourselves con- 

 siderably forward, to be able to proceed. The 



* Ficus nyraphaeifolia, erythrina mitts. Two fine species 



of mimosa are found in the same valley j jnga fastuosa, and 

 \, cinerea. 



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