58 



the magnetic variation, on the 22d of January, 

 1800, out of the town, near the gate of La Pas- 

 tora, 4° 38' 45" North-East ; and on the 30th of 

 January, within the town, at the University, 

 4° 39' 15"; consequently 26' more than at 

 Cumana. The dip of the needle was 42*9°, 

 cent, division. The number of oscillations, 

 measuring the intensity of the magnetic action, 

 during 10' of time at Caraccas, was 232; at 

 Cumana, 229. We could not make very nu- 

 merous observations : they are the result of 

 an investigation of three months. 



The day that we quitted the capital of Vene- 

 zuela, subsequently swallowed up by terrible 

 earthquakes, we reached the foot of the woody 

 mountains, that close the valley toward the 

 South- West, where we slept. We followed the 

 right bank of the Rio Guayra as far as the vil- 

 lage of Antimano, by a very fine road, partly 

 scooped out of the rock ; and passed by La 

 Vega, and Carapa. The church of La Vega 



servations merely celestial give me for the Square of La 

 Trinidad, 



By lunar distances from the Sun and the stars, - 4 h 37' 27" 

 By occultations of satellites - - - - 4 h 37' 53" 



Mean - 4 h 37' 40" 



See Recueil d* Obs. Ast., vol. i, p. 158—184. We exclude a 

 chronometrical determination, because of the tossing of the 

 boat, near Cape Codera, in a rough sea. 



