488 



the existence was recognized by Pierre Martyr 

 d'Anghiera % presents towards the center, and 

 the east, the same phenomena of structure 

 which we have remarked in the Andes of Peru 

 and New Grenada; namely, the division into se- 

 veral parallel ranks, and the frequency of longi- 

 tudinal basins or vallies. But the irruptions of 

 the Caribbean Sea having it appears over- 

 whelmed very anciently a part of the mountains 

 of the shore, the ranks, or partial chains are in- 

 terrupted, and some basins are become oceanic 

 gulphs. To comprehend the Cordillera of Ve- 

 nezuela in mass, we must carefully study the 

 direction and windings of the coast from Punta 

 Tucacas (west of Porto Cabello), as far as Punta 

 de la Galera of the island of Trinidad. That island, 

 those of los Testigos, la Marguerita, and Tor- 

 tuga, constitute, with the micaslates of the pe- 

 ninsula of Araya, the same system of moun- 

 tains. The granitic rocks which shew themselves 

 between Buria, Duaca, and Aroa cross the 

 valley of the Rio Yaracui, and draw near the 

 shore, whence they stretch, like a continued wall, 

 from Porto Cabello to Cape Codera. This pro- 

 longation forms the northern chain of the Cor- 

 dillera of Venezuela, and is traversed in going 



* Oceanica (ed. 1531) Dec. 3, lib. iv, p. 52- 

 + On the east of San Felipe, in the knot of the mountains 

 of Tocuye and Barquisimeto. 



