THE SOUTH AMERICAN SERIES VENEZUELA [Illustration: CATHEDRAL: CARÁCAS.] 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