178 



pyxidata and the lichen rangiferinus, so com- 

 mon in the north of Europe. We could scarcely 

 persuade ourselves, that we were elevated less 

 than one hundred toises above the level of the 

 Ocean, in five degrees of latitude, in the centre 

 of that torrid zone, which has so long been 

 thought to be destitute of cryptogamous plants. 

 The mean temperature* of this shady and humid 

 spot probably exceeds twenty-six degrees of the 

 centigrade thermometer. Reflecting on the small 

 quantity of rain which had hitherto fallen, we 

 were surprised at the beautiful verdure of the 

 forests. This circumstance characterizes the 

 valley of the Upper Oroonoko ; on the coast of 

 Caraccas, and in the Llanos, the trees in win- 

 ter -f* are stripped of their leaves, and the 

 ground is covered only with a yellow and 

 withered grass. Between the solitary rocks 

 which we have just described arise some high 

 plants of columnar cactus {cactus septemangu- 

 laris),& very rare appearance south of the cata- 

 racts of Atures and Maypures. 



Amid this picturesque scene, Mr. Bonpland 

 was fortunate enough to find several specimens of 

 laurus cinnamomoides, a very aromatic species 



* This estimation is founded on the temperature of the 

 sources of the Atures. 



t In the season called summer in South America, north of 

 the equator. See vol. iv, p. 88. 



