Chapter I: Front Matter

THE SOUTH AMERICAN SERIES

VENEZUELA

VENEZUELA

BY
LEONARD V. DALTON, B.SC. (LOND.)
FELLOW OF THE GEOLOGICAL AND ROYAL GEOGRAPHICAL
SOCIETIES, ETC.

WITH A MAP AND 34 ILLUSTRATIONS

T. FISHER UNWIN

LONDON:
ADELPHI TERRACE

LEIPSIC:
INSELSTRASSE 20

1912

(_All rights reserved._)

TO
D. R. R.

INTRODUCTORY NOTE

The author is desirous of expressing his appreciation of the continued courtesy and kindness rendered during his stay in Venezuela by the British Chargé d’Affaires, Mr. W. E. O’Reilly, by Mr. E. A. Wallis, and other British residents, as well as the warm reception accorded by the Venezuelan officials throughout the parts of the country he visited.

Mr. F. A. Holiday, A.R.C.S., F.G.S., has made himself responsible for much of the information on the Llanos, and has assisted largely in the preparation of the tables in Appendix B. Mr. J. D. Berrington, of El Callao, also furnished details relating to the Guayana goldfields and their surroundings.

The author is greatly indebted to Mr. N. G. Burch, F.R.G.S., for reading the manuscript and for many valuable suggestions and criticisms. He would also thank Mr. G. T. Wayman, of Carácas, for many useful documents and items of interest regarding recent developments.

CONTENTS

PAGE

INTRODUCTORY NOTE 9

CHAPTER I

PHYSICAL DESCRIPTION OF THE UNITED STATES OF VENEZUELA 25

Situation—Area—Population—Main physical divisions—The
Guayana Highlands—Mountains, rivers, and forests The
Llanos—_Selvas_—_Mesas_—Rivers and _cienagas_—The
Delta—_Caños_—The Caribbean Hills—Serrania Costanera—Serrania
Interior—Rivers—Segovia Highlands—Drainage—Vegetation—The
Andes—Portuguesa Chain—Cordillera of Mérida—The Sierra
Nevada—Mountain torrents—Vegetation—_Páramos_—The
coastal plain—Lake of Maracaibo—Coro and Paraguana
lowlands—Climate—“White-water” and “black-water”
rivers—Seasons—_Tierra caliente_, _templada_, and
_fria_—Temperature and seasons—“St. John’s little
summer”—Health.

CHAPTER II

THE GEOLOGICAL HISTORY OF VENEZUELA 38

Ancient land of Guayana—Comparison with Scottish
Highlands—Gneisses, schists, and granite—Dykes—Roraima
Series—Strange peaks—The Caribbean Series—“All that
glitters is not gold”—La Galera—Segovia Group—Natural
castles—Capacho Limestone—The “Golden Hill”—Cerro
de Oro Series—Formation of mountains—Early outlet
of Orinoco—Cumaná Series—Shoals and islands—Llano
gravels—Cubagua Beds—Igneous rocks—Earthquakes—Hot springs—A
natural kettle—Coal—Iron—Gold—Copper—Lead—Petroleum and
asphalt—Sulphur—Salt—_Urao_—Ornamental stones—Wealth in
minerals.

CHAPTER III

THE PLANTS AND ANIMALS OF VENEZUELA 47

The glamour of the South American forests—Hidden
treasures—Temples of Nature—“A dim religious
light”—_Bejucales_—Forest giants—Brazil
nuts—Tonka-beans—Rubber—Quinine—Arctic and tropic
forms—The Llanos—_Tierra caliente_—Natural
hothouses—Colour and coolness _Páramo_
plants—Monkeys—An old friend—Cannibalism—Vampires
and bats—“Tigers” and “lions”—“Handsome is as
handsome doesn’t”—Wild horses—Dolphins—Prickly
mice—The “water-hog”—Sloths—Birds—Many-coloured
varieties—Umbrella-bird—“Cock-of-the-rock”—Toucans—
Cuckoos—Humming-birds—“Who are you?”—Oil-birds—Parrots
and macaws—Eagles and vultures—A national
disgrace—Game-birds—Snakes—Lizards—From the Orinoco
to a city dinner—A cup-tie crowd—Ferocious fish—When is
a mosquito not a mosquito?—Agricultural ants—Gigantic
spiders—Ticks—A pugnacious crustacean—A rich field.