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162 



or seven hundred toises ; and in this respect, 

 and that of it's geological constitution, we may 

 compare it to the chain of the Jura. Notwith- 

 standing the inconsiderable elevation of the 

 mountains of Cumana, t he descent is one of the 

 most difficult, we might say the most danger- 

 ous, on the side of Cariaco. The Cerro of San- 

 ta Maria, which the missionaries climb in their 

 journey from Cumana to their convent at Ca- 

 ripe, is particularly famous for the difficulties it 

 presents to travellers. On comparing these 

 mountains, the Andes of Peru, the Pyrennees, 

 and the Alps, which we have successively visit- 

 ed, it has more than once occurred to us, that 

 the less lofty summits are sometimes the most 

 inaccessible. 



On leaving the valley of Caripe we first cross- 

 ed a ridge of hills situate to the north-east of 

 the convent. The road led us on a continual 

 ascent through a vast savannah, as far as the 

 table-land of Guardia de San Augustin. We 

 there halted to wait for the Indian, who carried 

 the barometer ; and found ourselves at 533 toi- 

 ses of absolute elevation, or a little higher than 

 the bottom of the cavern of Guacharo. The sa- 

 vannahs or natural meadows, which yield ex- 

 cellent pastures for the cows of the convent, are 

 altogether without trees or shrubs. It is the 

 domain of the monocotyledonous plants ; for 

 amidst the gramina only a few plants of ma- 



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