NATURAL GI-UE. 
71 
sensations. We spent thirteen days in crossing 
. plains, resting a little in the Caribbee (Caraibes) mis- 
th°^ T eastern part of 
a H tlirough which we passed, between Angostura 
na JNueva Barcelona, presents the same wild aspect as the 
western part, through which we had passed from the valleys 
Aragua to San I’emando de Apure. In the season of 
in'^'+L ’ i® frere called summer,) though the sun is 
the southern hemisphere, the breeze is felt with 
greater force in the Llanos of Cumana, than in those of 
aincas ; because those vast plains, like the cultivated fields 
cl form an inland basin, open to the east, and 
osed on the north, south, and west, by high chains of pri- 
miwve mountains. Unfortunately, we' could not avail our- 
i this refreshing breeze, of which the Llaneros, or the 
^nabitants of the plains, speak with rapture. It was now 
ne rainy season north of the equator; and though it did 
su plains, the change in the declination of the 
for some time caused the action of the polar cur- 
ma ®®®se. In the equatorial regions, where the traveller 
au/ course by observing the direction of the clouds, 
iud' ^ oscillations of the mercury in the barometer 
g , the hour almost as well as a clock, everything is 
^ ®ject to a regular and uniform rule. The cessation of the 
eezes, the setting-in of the rainy season, and the fre- 
^ ®^®y of electric explosions, are phenomena w'hich are 
nd to be_ connected together by immutable laws, 
a p ^ ontering the Llanos of Nueva Barcelona, we met with 
wh ot whose house we passed the first night, and 
nat° ’^®®®^^®'i os witli the kindest hospitality. He was a 
a p® Lyons, and he had left his country at a very early 
He appeared extremely indifferent to all that was 
fulT^^ ^oyond the Atlantic, or, as they say here, disdain- 
of when speaking of Europe, “ on the other side 
em 1^ 8f®?^ pool” (al otro lado del charco). Our host was 
of ^1°^®® joining large pieces of wood by means of a kind 
ca ^ ®3fred guayca. This substance, which is used by the 
is ®^ Angostura, resembles the best animal glue. It 
nil perfectly prepared between the bark and the albui’- 
of a creeper* of the family of the Combretaceae. It 
* Combretum guayca. 
