91 



vanced in the ravine we found the moisture in- 

 crease. Near the Hato, at the northern extre- 

 mity of the Quebrada, a torrent gushes down on 

 sloping beds of gneiss. An aqueduct was there 

 forming to convey the water to the plain. 

 Without irrigation, the progress of agriculture is 

 null in these climates. A tree of monstrous size 

 fixed our attention *. It lay on the slope of the 

 mountain, above the house of the Hato. At 

 the least sinking of the earth, it's fall would 

 have crushed the habitation which it shaded : it 

 had therefore been burnt near it's foot, and cut 

 down in such a manner, that it fell between some 

 enormous fig-trees, which prevented it from rol- 

 ling into the ravine. We measured the fallen 

 tree ; and though it's summit had been burnt, 

 the length of it's trunk was still one hundred 

 and fifty-four feet~}\ It was eight feet in dia- 

 meter near the roots, and four feet two inches at 

 the upper extremity. 



Our guides, less anxious than ourselves to 

 measure the bulk of trees, continually pressed 

 us to proceed, and seek for the " gold mine." 

 This part of the ravine, little frequented, is not 

 uninteresting. We made the following observa- 

 tions on the geological constitution of the soil. 

 At the entrance of the Quebrada Seca we re- 



* Hura crepitans, 

 t French measure, nearly fifty metres. 



