SUPPOSED GOLD MINE. 
231 
sometimes leaps into the water, to attack the Indians in 
their canoes. 
Opposite the farm of Bermudez, two spacious caverns 
open into the crevice of Cuchivano, whence at times there 
issue flames, which may be seen at a great distance in the 
night ; and, judging by the elevation of the rocks, above 
which these fiery exhalations ascend, we should be led to 
think that they rise several hundred feet. This phenomenon 
was accompanied by a subterranean, dull, and long conti- 
nued noise, at the time of the last great earthquake of Cu- 
mana. It is observed chiefly during the rainy season ; and 
the owners of the farms opposite the mountain of Cuchivano 
allege that the flames have become more frequent since 
December 1797. 
In a herborizing excursion we made at Binconada we at- 
tempted to penetrate into the crevice, wishing to examine 
the rocks which seemed to contain in their bosom the cause 
of these extraordinary conflagrations ; but the strength of the 
vegetation, the interweaving of the lianas, and thorny plants, 
hindered our progress. Happily the inhabitants of the 
valley themselves felt a warm interest in our researches, 
less from the fear of a volcanic explosion, than because their 
minds were impressed with the idea that the liisco del 
Cuchivano contained a gold mine ; and although we ex- 
pressed our doubts of the existence of gold in a secondary 
limestone, they insisted on knowing “what the German 
miner thought of the richness of the vein.” Ever since 
the time of Charles V. and the government of the Welsers, 
the Alfingers, and the Sailers, at Coro and Caracas, the 
people of Terra Pinna have entertained a great confidence 
in the Germans with respect to all that relates to the work- 
ing of mines. Wherever I went in South America, when 
the place of my birth was known, I was shown samples of 
ore. In these colonies every Frenchman is supposed to be 
a physician, and every German a miner. 
The farmers, with the aid of their slaves, opened a path 
across the woods to the first fall of the II io Juagua; and on 
the 10th of September we made our excursion to the Cuchi- 
vano. On entering the crevice we recognised the proximity 
of tigers by a porcupine recently embowelled. For greater 
security the Indians returned to the farm, and brought back 
