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Cruz in Teneriffe. The chain of mountains* 

 that separates the port from the high valley 

 of Caraccas, descends almost directly into the 

 sea; and the houses of the town are backed 

 by a wall of steep rocks. There scarcely re- 

 mains one hundred or one hundred and forty 

 toises breadth of flat ground between the wall 

 and the ocean. The town has six or eight thou- 

 sand inhabitants, and contains only two streets, 

 running parallel to each other east and west. 

 It is commanded by the battery of Cerro Colo- 

 rado ; and it's fortifications along the seaside 

 are well disposed, and kept in repair. The as- 

 pect of this place has something solitary and 

 gloomy ; we seemed not to be on a continent, 

 covered with vast forests, but in a rocky 

 island, destitute of mould and vegetation. With 

 the exception of Cape Blanco and the cocoa- 

 trees of Maiquetia, no view meets the eye but 

 that of the horizon, the sea, and the azure vault 

 of Heaven. The heat is stifling during the day, 

 and most frequently during the night. The 

 climate of La Guayra is justly considered as 

 more ardent than that of Cumana, Porto Ca- 

 bello, and Coro ; because the sea breeze is less 

 felt, and the air is heated by the radiant caloric, 

 which the perpendicular rocks emit from the 

 time the sun sets. We should however judge 

 amiss of the atmospheric constitution of this 

 spot, and of all the neighbouring shore, if we 



