182 
MOUNTAIN KANGES. 
their pleasure, and sold it, paying the government the 
moderate sum of three hundred piastres. The price of the 
fanega was then four reals hut the salt was extremely 
impure, grey, mixed with earthy particles, and surcharged 
with muriate and sulphate of magnesia. Since the province 
of Cumana has become dependent on the intendancia of 
Caracas, the sale of salt is under the control of the excise ; 
and the fanega, which the Guayquerias sold at half a piastre, 
costB a piastre and a half'.f This augmentation of price is 
slightly compensated by greater purity of the salt, and by 
the facility with which the fishermen and farmers can pro- 
cure it in abundance during the whole year. The salt-works 
of Araya yielded to the treasury, in 1799, a clear income of 
eight thousand piastres. 
Considered as a branch of industry the salt produced here 
is not of any great importance, but the nature of the soil 
which contains the salt-marshes is well worthy of attention. 
In order to obtain a clear idea of the geological connection 
existing between this muriatiferous soil and tho rocks of 
more ancient formation, we shall take a general view of the 
neighbouring mountains of Cumana, and those of the penin- 
sula of Araya, and the island of Margaretta. 
Three great parallel chains extend from east to west. The 
two most northerly chains are primitive, and contain the 
mica-slates of Macanao, and the San .Tuan Yallev, of Mani- 
quarez, and of Chuparipari. These we shall distinguish by 
the names of Cordillera of tho island of Margareta, and Cor- 
dillera of Araya. The third chain, the most southerly of the 
whole, the Cordillera of the Brigantine and of the Ooeollar, 
contains rocks only of secondary formation; and, what is re- 
markable enough, though analogous to the geological consti- 
tution of the Alps westward of St. Gothard, the primitive 
chain is much less elevated than that which was composed of 
* In this narrative, as well as in the Political Essay on New Spain, all 
the prices are reckoned in piastres, and silver reals (reales de plata). 
Eight of these reals are equivalent to a piastre, or one hundred and five 
sous, French money (4«. 4 \d. English). Nouv. Esp., vol. ii., p. 519, 
616, and 866. 
f The fanega of salt is sold to those Indians and fishermen who do 
not pay the duties (derechos reales), at Punta Araya for six, at Cumana 
for eight reals. The prices to the other tribes are, at Araya ten, at Cu 
mana twelve reals. 
