534 



na, or cactus, stamps a peculiar character on 

 this barren country. The cactuses reach the 

 height of fifteen feet, and grow in the form of 

 candelabras, like the euphorbiums of Africa. 

 They are cultivated in order to sell their refreshing 

 fruits in the market of Caraccas. The variety 

 destitute of thorns is called, whimsically enough, 

 in the colonies, tuna de Espana. We measured 

 at the same place magueys, or agaves, the long 

 stem of which, loaded with flowers, was forty- 

 four feet high. However common this plant 

 is become in the south of Europe, a person born 

 in a northern climate is never wearied of ad- 

 miring the luxury of vegetation, the rapid de- 

 velopement of a liliaceous plant, which con- 

 tains at once a sweet juice, and astringent and 

 caustic liquids, employed in the cure of wounds 

 to consume proud flesh. 



We found several veins of quartz in the 

 valley of Tipe appearing above the soil. They 

 contained pyrites, carbonated iron ore, traces 

 of sulphuretted silver (glasserz), and gray cop- 

 per ore, or fahlerz. The works which had 

 been undertaken, either to extract the ore, or 

 to explore the nature of it's bed, appeared to 

 be very superficial. The earth falling in had 

 filled up those excavations, and we could not 

 judge ourselves of the richness of the lode. 

 Notwithstanding the expense incurred under 

 the intendency of Don Jose Avalo, the great 



