Personal Narrative Of Travels To The Equinoctial Regions Of America During The Years 1799-1804 - Volume 2 - By Alexander Von Humboldt And Aime Bonpland.
- Page 411 of 777 - First - Home
The Geographical Distribution Of The Insects Of The Family Of Tipulae
Presents Very Remarkable Phenomena.
It does not appear to depend
solely on heat of climate, excess of humidity, or the thickness of
forests, but on local circumstances that are difficult to
characterise.
It may be observed that the plague of mosquitos and
zancudos is not so general in the torrid zone as is commonly believed.
On the table-lands elevated more than four hundred toises above the
level of the ocean, in the very dry plains remote from the beds of
great rivers (for instance, at Cumana and Calabozo), there are not
sensibly more gnats than in the most populous parts of Europe. They
are perceived to augment enormously at Nueva Barcelona, and more to
the west, on the coast that extends towards Cape Codera. Between the
little harbour of Higuerote and the mouth of the Rio Unare, the
wretched inhabitants are accustomed to stretch themselves on the
ground, and pass the night buried in the sand three or four inches
deep, leaving out the head only, which they cover with a handkerchief.
You suffer from the sting of insects, but in a manner easy to bear, in
descending the Orinoco from Cabruta towards Angostura, and in going up
from Cabruta towards Uruana, between the latitudes of 7 and 8 degrees.
But beyond the mouth of the Rio Arauca, after having passed the strait
of Baraguan, the scene suddenly changes. From this spot the traveller
may bid farewell to repose.
Enter page number
PreviousNext
Page 411 of 777
Words from 111263 to 111513
of 211397
