90 



we might find some obstacles to our return. 

 With the ample permissions, which in a moment 

 of favour had been granted to us, nothing was 

 to be hazarded, that might displease the local 

 authorities. We employed our time in com- 

 pleting the Flora of Cumana, geognostically 

 examining the eastern part of the peninsula of 

 Araya, and observing a considerable number of 

 eclipses of satellites, which confirmed the 

 longitude of the place already obtained by other 

 means. We also made experiments on the ex- 

 traordinary refractions, on evaporation, and on 

 atmospheric electricity. 



The live animals which we had brought from 

 the Oroonoko were objects of great curiosity to 

 the inhabitants of Cumana. The capuchin of 

 the Esmeralda (simia chiropotes), which so 

 much resembles man in the expression of it's 

 physiognomy ; and the sleeping monkey (simia 

 trivirgata), which is the type of a new groupe; 

 had never yet been seen on that coast. We 

 destined them for the menagery of the Garden 

 of Plants at Paris. The arrival of a French 

 squadron, which had failed in an attack upon 

 Curassao, having furnished us unexpectedly with 

 an excellent opportunity for sending them to 

 Guadaloupe, general Jeannet, and the com- 

 missary BresseaUj agent of the executive power 

 at the Antilles, promised to take on themselves 

 this commission. The monkeys and birds died 



