554 



from mica-schist ; and frightful detonations are 

 heard at Encaramada, between the rivers Arau- 

 ca and Cuchivero, in the midst of the granitic 

 soil | of the Oroonoko and the Sierra Parima. 

 Here, as every where else on the Globe, the 

 focus of volcanoes is in the most ancient soils ; 

 and it appears, that an intimate connection 

 exists between the great phenomena, that heave 

 up and liquify the crust of our planet, and those 

 igneous meteors, which are seen from time to 

 time on it's surface, and which from their little- 

 ness we are tempted to attribute solely to the 

 influence of the atmosphere. 



Duida, though lower than the height assigned 

 to it by popular belief, is however, the most 

 prominent point of the whole group of moun- 

 tains, that separate the basin of the Lower Oroo- 

 noko from that of the Amazon. These moun- 

 tains lower still more rapidly on the north-east, 

 toward the Purunama, than on the east, toward 

 the Padamo and the Rio Ocamo. In the former 

 direction, the most elevated summits after 

 Duida, are Cuneva, at the sources of the Rio 

 Paru (one of the tributary streams of the 

 Ventuari), Sipapo, Calitamini, which forms 

 one group with Cunavami and the peak of 

 Uniana*. East of Duida, on the right bank of 



I Vol. ii, cbap. 5, p. 291 ; vol. iv, chap. 14, p. 45. 

 * See vol. ii, chap. 17, p. 304 j chap. 19, p. 469 j vol. v, 

 chap. 20, p. 43, 134 5 chap. 21, p. 167, 175; chap. 23, p 



