ABANDONMENT OF THE MIXES. 
413 
of mines, so early as the end of the sixteenth century. In 
following the valley of Caracas eastward beyond Caurimare, 
on the road to Caucagua, we reach a mountainous and 
woody country, where a great quantity of charcoal is now 
made, and which anciently bore the name of the Province 
of Los Mariches. In these eastern mountains of Venezuela, 
the gneiss passes into the state of tale. It contains, as at 
Salzburg, lodes of auriferous quartz. The works anciently 
begun in those mines have often been abandoned and 
resumed. 
The mines of Caracas were forgotten during more than 
a hundred years. But at a period comparatively recent, 
about the end of the last century, an Intendant of Vene- 
zuela, Don Jose Avalo, again fell into the illusions which 
had flattered the cupidity of the Conquistadores. He fan- 
cied that all the mountains near the capital contained great 
metallic riches. Some Mexican miners were engaged, and 
their operations were directed to the ravine of Tipe, and 
the ancient mines of Baruta to the south of Caracas, where 
the Indians gather even now some little gold-wasliings. But 
the zeal which had prompted the enterprise soon diminished, 
and after much useless expense, the working of the mines 
of Caracas was totally abandoned. A small quantify of 
auriferous pyrites, sulphuretted silver, and a little native 
gold, were found ; but these were only feeble indications ; 
and in a country where labour is extremely dear, there was 
no inducement to pursue works so little productive. 
We visited the ravine of Tipe, situated in that part of the 
valley which opens in the direction of Cabo Blanco. Proceed- 
ing from Caracas, we traverse, in the direction of the great 
barracks of San Carlos, a barren and rocky soil. Only a very 
few plants of Argemone mcxicana are to be found. The 
gneiss appears everywhere above ground. Wo might have 
fancied ourselves on the table-land of Freiberg. We crossed 
first the little rivulet of Agua Salud, a limpid stream, which 
1ms no mineral taste, and then the II io Garaguntn. The 
road is commanded on the right bv the Ccrro tie Avila and 
the Ciunbre; and on the left, by the mountains of Aguas 
Negras. This defile is very interesting in a geological 
point of view. At this spot the valley of Caracas coimnu- 
