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phenomenon is general from the Quebrada of 

 Tocuiue, between Petarez and Caraccas, as far 

 as Porto Cab ello. It would seem as if the im- 

 pulsion had every where come from the South- 

 East ; and this fact is the more striking, as the 

 strata of gneiss and mica-slate in the Cordilleras 

 of the coast are generally directed from the 

 South-West to the North-East. The greater 

 part of these ravines penetrate into the mountains 

 at their southern declivity, without crossing 

 them entirely. But there is an opening (a bra) 

 in the meridian of Nueva Valencia, which leads 

 toward the coast, and by which a cooling sea- 

 breeze penetrates every evening into the valleys 

 of Aragua. This breeze rises regularly two or 

 three hours after sunset. 



By this abra, the farm of Barbula, and an 

 eastern branch of the ravine, a new road is con- 

 structing from Valencia to Porto Cabello. It 

 will be so short, that it will require only four 

 hours to reach the port, and the traveller will 

 be able to go and return in the same day from 

 the coast to the valleys of Aragua. In order to 

 examine this road, we set out on the 26th of 

 February in the evening for the farm of Barbula, 

 accompanied by the proprietors of that farm, the 

 amiable family of Arambary. 



On the 27th in the morning we visited the 

 hot springs of La Trinchera, three leagues from 

 Valencia. The ravine is very large, and the 



