HATO DEL COCOLLAR. 
239 
Chayrna missions. We chose, instead of the direct road, 
that by the mountains of the Cocollar* and the Turimiquiri, 
the height of which little exceeds that of Jura. The road 
first runs eastward, crossing over the length of three leagues 
the table-land of Cumanacoa, in a soil formerly levelled by 
the waters: it then turns to the south. We passed the 
little Indian village of Aricagua surrounded by woody hills. 
Thence we began to ascend, and the ascent lasted more than 
four hours. We crossed two-and-twenty times the river of 
Pututucuar, a rapid torrent, full of blocks of calcareous 
rock. When, on the Cuesta del Cocollar, we reached an 
elevation two thousand feet above the level of the sea, we 
were surprised to find scarcely any forests or great trees. 
We passed over an immense plain’ covered with gramineous 
plants. ^ Mimosas with hemispheric tops, and steins only 
four or five feet high, alone vary the dull uniformity of the 
savannahs, their branches are bent towards the ground or 
spread out like umbrellas. Wherever there are deep decli- 
vities, or masses of rocks half covered with mould, the clusia 
or cupey, witli great nympluea flowers, displays its beauti- 
ful verdure. The roots of this tree arc eight inches in dia- 
meter, and they sometimes shoot out from the trunk at the 
height of fifteen feet above the soil. 
After having climbed the mountain for a considerable time, 
we reached a small plain at the Hato del Cocollar. This is a 
solitary farm, situated on a table-land 40S toises high. We 
rested three days in this retreat, where we were treated 
with great kindness by the proprietor, Don Mathias Ytur- 
buri, a native of Biscay, who had accompanied us from the 
port of Cumana. We there found milk, excellent meat 
from the richness of the pasture, and above all, a delightful 
climate. During the day the centigrade thermometer did 
not rise above 22° or 23° ■ a little before sunset it fell to 19', 
and at night it scarcely kept up to M°.+ The nightly tem- 
perature was consequently seven degrees colder than that of 
the coasts, which is a fresh proof of an extremely rapid 
* Is tliis name of Indian origin ? At Cumana I heard it derived in a 
manner somewhat far-fetched from the Spanish word cogollo, signifying 
the heart of oleraceous plants. The Cocollar forms tire centre of the 
*nole group of the mountains of New Andalusia. 
+ 11.2° Ileaum. 
