110 
STAT at ClWrAA'A. 
AVe hastened to visit the governor, Don A^icente Emparan, 
whose recommendations and constant solicitude had been so 
useful to us during the long journey we had just terminated. 
He procured for us, in the centre oi' the town, a house which, 
though perhaps too lofty in a country exposed to violent 
earthquiikes, was extremely useful for our instruments. AVe 
enjoyed from its terraces a majestic view of the sea, of the 
isthmus of Araya, and the archipelago of the islands of 
Caracas, Picuita, and Borracha. The port of Cumana was 
every day more and more closely blockaded, and the vain 
expectation of the arrival of Spanish packets detained ns 
two months and a half longer. AVe were often nearlv 
tempted to go to the Danish islands, which enjoyed a happy 
neutrality ; but we feared that, if we left the Spanish colo- 
nies, wo might find some obstacles to our return. AVith 
the ample freedom which in a moment of favour had been 
granted to us, we did not consider it prudent to hazard 
anything that might give umbrage to the local authorities. 
AVe employed our time in completing the Plora of Cumana, 
geologically examining the eastern part of the peninsula 
of Araya, and observing many eclipses of satellites, which 
confirmed tho longitude of the place already obtained by 
other means. AVe also made experiments on the extra- 
ordinary refractions, on evapoi’ation, and on atmospheric 
electricity. 
The living animals which we had brought from the Ori- 
noco were objects of great curiosity to the iuhabitauts of 
Cumana. The capuchin of the Esmeralda (Simla chiropotes), 
which so much resembles man in the expression of its 
physiognomy; and the sleeping monkey (Simia trivirgata), 
which is the’ type of a new group ; had never yet been seen 
on that coast. AVe destined them for the menagerie of the 
Jardin des Plantes at Paris. The arrival of a French squad- 
ron, which had failed in an attack upon Cura5ao, furnished 
us, unexpeetedly, with an excellent opportunity for sending 
them to Guadaloupe ; and General .Teanuet, together with 
the commissary Bresseau, agent of the executive power at 
the Antilles, promised to convey them. The monkeys and 
birds died at Guadaloupe, but fortunately the skin of the 
Simia chiropotes, the only one in Europe, was sent a few 
years ago to the .Tardin des Plantes, where the couxio (Simia 
