284 



pearls, and different round grains employed by 

 the American savages to increase the flowing of 

 tear§. These explanations were little to the 

 taste of the ^habitants of Araya* Nature has 

 the appparance of greatness to man in proportion 

 as she js veiled in mystery, and the philosophy 

 of the people rejects every thing that bears a 

 character of simplicity., j f: 1: 



Proceeding ajong the southern coast, to the east 

 of Maniquarez, we find running out into the sea 

 very near each other, three strips of laad, which 

 bear the names of Punta de Soto, Punta de la 

 Brea, and Punta Guaratarito* In these parts the 

 bottom of the sea, is evidently formed of a mica- 

 slate : and it is from this rock, that, near Cape 

 dela Brea but at eighty feet distance from the 

 shore, a spring of naphtha rises, the smell of which 

 spreads itself into the interior of the peninsula. 

 You must wade into the sea up to the waist, to 

 examine this interesting phenomenon. The 

 waters are covered with zostera ; and in the 

 midst of a very extensive bank of weeds (d'her- 

 bes), we distinguish a free and circular spot of 

 three feet diameter, on which swim a few scat- 

 tered masses of ulva lactuca. Here the springs 

 are found. The bottom of the gulf is covered 



* Tar Cape. The greatest reservoir of petroleum (chapa- 

 pote) is that of the island of Trinidad, which has been des- 

 cribed by Span, Hatchet Anderson, and Dauxion Lavajsse, 

 (Voy. aux Isles de Trinidad et de Tohago, t. i, p. 24 to 30.) 



