Around and about South America (1890) (14804357233)

Identifier: aroundaboutsouth01vinc (find matches)
Title: Around and about South America
Year: 1890 (1890s)
Authors: Vincent, Frank, 1848- (from old catalog)
Subjects:
Publisher: New York, D. Appleton & co. (etc., etc.)
Contributing Library: The Library of Congress
Digitizing Sponsor: The Library of Congress



Text Appearing Before Image:
he hills, and their sharp lines stand out bravelyagainst a pure blue sky. All is very different in the middleof the day. Then the fierce heat and bright light bring thetown out in its brightest colors, the lower parts of the hillslook parched, rough, and glowing with red and brown tints,the summits of the range are covered with layers of fleecyclouds, and the sea and surf glisten and shine most radiantly.Three miles to the eastward of La Guayra is the little villageof Macuto, reached from the town by a narrow-gauge rail-way. About a mile to the westward is the village of Mai-quetia, standing in a beautiful grove of palms. Both of theseenvirons are used as residences by merchants doing businessin La Guayra. Through Macuto runs a brawling little riverfrom the hills, which rise almost perpendicularly behind it.It possesses also a nice, cool, shady park, and two good sea-bathing establishments. In fact, it is the Coney Island ofVenezuela. From December to February it is crowded with m ) x
Text Appearing After Image:
TEE BIRTHPLACE OF BOLIVAR. 407 fashionable people from the capital, who come for the sea-bathing. General Blanco possesses a charming villa there.You may reach either of these pretty suburbs by carriage aswell as by railway. The appearance of La Guayra from the ocean is indeedodd. It reaches along the shore for a distance of a mile ormore, with two or three extensions up the steep hills andvalleys, which are reddish brown in color and perfectly bar-ren, but for a few cacti. In fact, save the large cocoanut-grove at Maiquetia, no vegetation of any kind is in sight, ex-cept near the summits of the range. The color of the pre-cipitous heights is exactly the same as the roofs of the houses.Zigzag paths extend up the hills> but the buildings run onlya little way. Along the shore there is generally but a singlerow. The dwellings of the negroes are little miniature huts,with a single door aiid window. The houses in the businessquarter are two and three stories in height. The streets,which