612 
DISTANT VIEW or THE LLANOS. 
on the bank opposite Capuchino, these observations were 
important for determining the rate of my chronometer, and 
connecting the situations on the Orinoco with those on the 
shore of Venezuela. The situation of this farm, being at the 
point where the Orinoco changes its course, (which had pre- 
viously been from south to north,) and runs from west to east, 
is extremely picturesque. Granite rocks rise like islets amidst 
vast meadows. Prom their tops we discerned towards the 
north the Llanos of Calabozo bounding the horizon. We 
had been so long accustomed to the aspect of forests, that 
this view made a powerful impression on us. The steppes 
after sunset assume a tint of greenish gray. The visual ray 
being intercepted only by the rotundity of the earth, the 
stars seemed to rise as from the bosom of the ocean, and the 
most experienced mariner would have fancied himself placed 
on a projecting cape of a rocky coast. Our host was a 
Frenchman, who lived amidst his" numerous herds. Though 
he had forgotten his native language, he seemed pleased to 
learn that we came from his country, which he had: left forty 
vears before; and he wished to retain us for some days at 
his farm. The small towns of Caycara and Oabruta were 
only a few miles distant from the farm ; but during part of 
the year our host was in complete solitude. The Capuchino 
becomes an island by the inundations of the Apure and the 
Orinoco, and the communication with, the neighbouring 
farms can be kept up only by means of a boat. The horned 
cattle then seek the higher" grounds which extend on the 
south toward the chain of the mountains of Encaramada. 
This granitic chain is intersected by vallies, which contain 
magnetic sands (granulary oxidulated iron), owing no doubt 
to the decomposition of some amphibolic or chlorine 
strata. , 
On the morning of the 9th of June we met a great number 
of boats laden with merchandize sailing up the Orinoco, m 
order to enter the Apure. This is a commercial road much 
frequented between Angostura and the port of Torunos m 
the province of of Varinas. Our fellow-traveller. Don 
Nicolas Soto, brother in law of the governor of Varinas, 
took the same course, to return to his family. At the 
the eastern bank of the Orinoco), the latitude 7* 37' 45", the longitudi 
69“ 5' 30'. 
