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Alpine limestone America ancient Andalusia appears atmosphere Barcelona befaria blue bolides Bonpland cacao calcareous Cape Blanco Caraccas Cariaco Caribbees Caripe Carupano cavern Chayma cinchona climate clouds coast colonies colour contains Cordilleras cultivated Cumana Cumanacoa Cumanagoto descend distance east Europe extremely feet forests gneiss Grenada grottoes Guacharo Guayra Gulf of Cariaco heat height horizon hundred toises hygrometer idioms Indians inhabitants island land languages latitude leagues less light limestone mean temperature Mexico missionaries Missions monks moun mountains nations natives night observed Oroonoko Paria Peru phenomenon Piritoo plains plants port province Quito race regions river rocks Santa savannahs scarcely Silla soil Spaniards Spanish spot strata summit table-land tains Tamanack therm thermometer thick thousand tion toises torrid zone town trees tropics valley of Caraccas vapours vegetation Venezuela village wind
Page 239 - It is on account of this general analogy of structure; it is because American languages, which have no word in common, the Mexican, for instance, and the Quichua, resemble each other by their organization, and form complete contrasts with the languages of Latin Europe, that the Indians of the missions familiarize themselves more easily with other American idioms than with the language of the mistress country.
Page 432 - ... the orange-tree, the coffee-tree, the apple, the apricot, and corn ? A national writer * compares the situation of Caraccas to the terrestrial Paradise, and recognizes in the Anauco and the neighbouring torrents the four rivers of the Garden of Eden.
Page 442 - ... which there yields little fruit indeed, but of the finest quality. When the shrub is in blossom, the plain extending beyond Chacao presents a delightful aspect. The banana-tree, which is seen in the plantations near the town, is not the great platano harton; but the varieties camburi and...
Page 276 - Oroonoko, are distinguished by their almost gigantic size from all the other nations I have seen in the new continent. Must it on this account be admitted, that the Caribbees are an entirely distinct race? and that the Guaraons and the Tamanacks, whose languages have an affinity with the Caribbee, have no bond of relationship with them ? I think not.
Page 122 - ... kind of cushion between the legs of the bird. This quantity of fat in frugivorous animals, not exposed to the light, and exerting very little muscular motion, reminds us of what has been long since observed in the fattening of geese and oxen.
Page 341 - During this day I was particularly struck with a remark of Humboldt's, who often alludes to " the thin vapour which, without changing the transparency of the air, renders its tints more harmonious, and softens its effects.
Page 228 - The greater part of the people, however, have as great an antipathy to the beard, as the Eastern nations hold it in reverence. This antipathy is derived from the same source as the predilection for flat foreheads, which is seen in so singular a manner in the statues of the Azteck heroes and divinities. Nations attach the idea of beauty to every thing which particularly characterizes their own physical conformation, their natural physiognomy...
Page 100 - ... displays itself in an astonishing manner. Thus the mountaineers are heard to say, ' I will not give you the mule whose step is the easiest, but him who reasons best.
Page 39 - Arragon, far advanced in years, but strong and healthy. His extreme corpulency, his hilarity, the interest he took in battles and sieges, ill accorded with the ideas we form in our northern countries of the melancholy reveries and the contemplative life of missionaries.