CHAPTER V - CUMANA

Summary

The city of Cumana, the capital of New Andalusia, is a mile distant from the landing-place, and in proceeding towards it our travellers crossed a large sandy plain, which separates the suburb inhabited by the Guayqueria Indians from the seashore. The excessive heat of the atmosphere was increased by the reflection of the sun's rays from a naked soil, the thermometer immersed in which rose to 99·9°. In the little pools of salt water it remained at 86·9°, while the surface of the sea in the port generally ranges from 77·4° to 79·3°. The first plant gathered by them was the Avicennia tomentosa, which is remarkable for occurring also on the Malabar coast, and belongs to the small number that live in society, like the heaths of Europe, and are seen in the torrid zone only on the shores of the ocean and the elevated platforms of the Andes.

Crossing the Indian suburb, the streets of which were very neat, they were conducted by the captain of the Pizarro to the governor of the province, Don Vicente Emparan, who received them with frankness; expressed his satisfaction at the resolution which they had taken of remaining for some time in New Andalusia; showed them cottons dyed with native plants and furniture made of indigenous wood; and surprised them with questions indicative of scientific attainments. On disembarking their instruments, they had the pleasure of finding that none of them had been damaged.