109 



in a great part of Europe, the Alpine limestone 

 is separated from the Jura limestone by the rau- 

 riatiferous gypsum ; but often this last is en- 

 tirely wanting, or is contained as a subordinate 

 layer in the Alpine limestone. In this case the 

 two great calcareous formations succeed each 

 other immediately, or are confounded in one 

 mass. 



The descent from the Cuchilla is far shorter 

 than the ascent. We found the level of the 

 valley of Caripe 200 toises higher than that of 

 the valley of Guanaguana. A group of moun- 

 tains of little breadth separates two valleys, one 

 of which is of delicious coolness, while the other 

 is famed for the heat of it's climate. These con- 

 trasts, so common in Mexico, New Grenada, 

 and Peru, are very rare in the North east part of 

 South America. Thus Caripe * is the only one 

 of the high valleys of New Andalusia, which 

 is well inhabited. In a province, the population 



formations succeed one another immediately, it often hap- 

 pens, that the strata of one begin to alternate with the strata 

 of the other, till the newest formation appears without being 

 mingled with subordinate strata (Buch, Geogn. Beob., Vol. 

 i, p. 194 and 156) : 2°. When a formation of little thick- 

 ness is placed, from its relative antiquity, between two great 

 formations, we sometimes observe that it disappears entirely, 

 or that it is involved as a subordinate stratum in one or other 

 of the neighbouring formations. 



* Absolute height of the convent, above the level of the 

 sea, 412 toises. 



V 



