BASIN or TENEZTJELA. 
331 
wliich runs along the coast, are linked hy a ridge or knot of 
mountains known by the names of Altos de ks Cocuyzas 
(84-5 toiscs) and the Higuerote (835 
Teqnes and La Victoria) in Ion 69 “ 30' ^9 50 . On the 
west of this ridge lies the enclosed basin* of tpe lake of 
Valencia or the Valles de Aragua ; and on the east, the basin 
of Caracas and of the Eio Tuy. The bottom of the first- 
mentioned basins is between 220 and 250 toiscs high; the 
bottom of the latter is 400 toises above the level of the 
Caribbean Sea. It follows from these measures, that the 
most western of the two longitudinal vallies enclosed by the 
littoral Cordillera is the deepest; while iii the plauis near 
theApureand the Orinoco, the declivity is from west to 
east; but we must not forget that the peculiar p'spositioii 
of the bottom of the two basins, which are bounded by t\i o 
narallel chains, is a local phenomenon altogether separate 
from tlie causes on wl.ich the ‘''“SlleL of 
country depends. The eastern basin of the Coidillera of 
Venezuela is not shut up like the basin of Valencia. It is 
in the knot of the mountains of Las Cocuyzas, and of 
Iliguerote, that the Serrania de los Teques and 
stretching eastward, form two valleys, those ot the Kio 
Guayre and Kio Tuy; the former contains the town ot 
Caracas, and both unite below the Caunmaro. The Eio 
Tuy runs through the rest of the basin, from west to east 
as far as its mouth, which is situated on the north of the 
mouutuitis of Pfl-naciuir©. , .i a 
Cape Codera seems to terminate 
the liLral mountains of Venezuela, but this 
only apparent. The coast terms a vast nook, thiity-hve sea 
loa|ues in length, at the bottom^of which is the month of 
the Kio Unare, and the road of Nueva Barcelona Stietcl - 
ing first from west to east, in the paraUel of 10 37 , tins 
* This basin contains a small system of inland 
communicate with the ocean. The southern chain 
dillera of Venezuelais so depressed on the ^outh-wes , 
is separated from the tributary strean^ of the lake of lacangua or 
Valeria. Towards the east, the Rio appears at 
western declivity of the knot of mountains o a y • • | 
erst to empty itself into the vall.es of A^i^nt hills 
tufa, forming a ridge between Consejo and Victoria, forte it to take it* 
course south-east. 
