20S 
BPKIjrO 01' QUETEI'a. 
springs, that the spring of Quetepe acquires its great coolness 
nt more than 3o0 toises of absolute elevation. With respect 
to the springs which gush out in the plains of the torrid 
zone, or at a small elevation, it may be observed, in general 
that it is only in regions where the mean temperature of 
summer essentially differs from that of the whole year, that 
the inhabitants have extremely cold spring water during 
the season o great heat. The Laplanders, near TJmea and 
boersele, in the Goth degree ot latitude, drink spring-water 
the temperature ot which, in the month of August, is scarce!’' 
two or three degrees above freezing point ; while during the 
day the heat ot the air rises in the shade, in the same 
northern regions, to 2G or 27 degrees. In the temperate 
climates ot 1' ranee and Germany, the difference between the 
mr and the springs never exceeds IG or 17 degrees ; between 
t ie tropics it seldom rises to 5 or G degrees. It is easy to ac- 
count tor these phenomena, when we recollect that the interior 
ot the globe, and the subterraneous waters, have a tempera- 
ture almost identical with the annual mean temperature of 
the air; and that the latter differs from the mean heat of 
summer, in proportion to the distance from the equator* 
I I'om the top of a hill of sandstone, which overlooks the 
spring of Quetepe, we had a magnificent -view of the sea of 
cape Macanao, and the peninsula of Maniquarez. At our 
feet an immense forest extended to the edge of the ocean 
llie tops ot the trees, intertwined with lianas, and crowned 
with long wreaths of fiowers, formed a vast carpet of verdure 
the dark tint of which augmented the splendour of the aerial 
light. This picture struck us the more forcibly, as we then 
first beheld those great masses of tropical vegitation. On 
the hill ot Quetepe,. at the foot of the Malpighia cocolloba- 
olia, the leaves of which are extremely coriaceous, we 
gathered, among tufts of the Polygala montana, the first 
melastomas especially that beautiful species described under 
the name of the Melastoma rufescens. 
As we advanced toward the south-west, the soil became 
dry and sandy. \\ e elimed a group of mountains, which 
separate the coast Irom the vast plains, or savannahs, bor- 
dered by the Ormoeo. That part of the group, over which 
passes the road to Cumanacoa, is destitute of vegetation, 
and has steep declivities botli on the north and the south. 
