319 



America ; and because, in the progressive un- 

 folding of American civilization, the interme- 

 diate link is wanting, that connects the hunting 

 with the agricultural nations. 



I have thought proper to bring together these 

 general notions on the plains of the new conti- 

 nent, and the contrast they exhibit with the 

 deserts of Africa and the fertile steppes of Asia, 

 in order to give some interest to the narrative 

 of a journey across lands of so monotonous an 

 aspect. Having now accomplished this task, I 

 shall trace the road we followed from the vol- 

 canic mountains of Parapara, and the northern 

 side of the Llanos, to the banks of the Apure in 

 the province of Varinas. 



After having passed two nights on horseback ; 

 and sought in vain by day for some shelter from 

 the ardor of the Sun, beneath the tufts of the 

 murichi palm-trees ; we arrived before night at 

 the little farm of the Alligator (El Cayman), 

 called also La Guadalupe. It was a hato de 

 ganado, that is to say, a solitary house in the 

 steppes, surrounded by a few small huts, covered 

 with reeds and skins. The cattle, oxen, horses, 

 and mules, are not penned, but wander freely 

 over an extent of several square leagues. There 

 is nowhere any enclosure ; men naked to the 

 waist, and armed with a lance, ride over the 

 savannahs, to inspect the animals, bring back 

 those that wander too far from the pastures of 



