ON THE AMAZON AND BIO NEGRO. 39 



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most of tlie country between the Casiquiare and the sources of the 

 Orinoco, is an.old gentleman called Don Diego Pina, residing now at So- 

 lano (a little within the Casiquiare), but when Schomburgk passed this 

 way, residing at San Carlos, and acting as Commissarlo. He is unfor- 

 tunately quite blind, and cannot therefore point out anything on my maps; 

 but his memory seems perfect for distances and bearings. According 

 to him, it takes a month to reach the Kandal from Esmeralda, travelling 

 as traders are accustomed to do here, — that is, stopping at the Caiios, 

 within which all the Indians usually fix their habitations. The Orinoco 

 above the Eandal is still a large river, which in the force of the rainy 

 season might be navigated by piragoas* of considerable size. He is of 

 opinion that the real sources of the Orinoco are very much to the east- 

 ward of what is supposed by Humboldt in his 'Aspects of Nature;* 

 and it seems to be clearly made out, that they ane at least considerably 

 to the east of the sources of the Eio Branco ; or, in other words, that 

 the system of the Eio Branco overlaps (if I may so say) that of the 

 Orinoco ; a circumstance not without parallel in other river-systems. 



Don Diego is perhaps the only white now living in the Canton del 

 Kio Negro who recollects Humboldt in Venezuela. He was making 

 turtle-oil on the Orinoco, on a play a near the mouth of the Apure, 

 when that distinguished traveller passed on his way towards the cata- 

 racts. A person died in San Fernando two or three years ago, who 

 had seen Humboldt and Bonpland at Esmeralda, and remembered the 

 difficulty they had in procuring the flowers of the Juvia {Bertholletia 

 excelsa), for which (said he) they offered an ounce of gold. At the 

 season of finiit of this tree, the Guaharibos descend much below the 

 randal, in order to collect it for food; and at that time the Indians of 

 the Casiquiare, in parties of not more than five or six, lie in wait for 

 them and caiTy olF such as they can lay hold on, making of them slaves 

 for cultivating their cunucos. Many Indians on the Casiquiare can 

 show lance-wounds received from the Guaharibos in these expeditions. 



I should mention that Don Gregorio Diaz has also travelled much 

 on the rivers eastward of the Casiquiare, and in his voyages about the 

 head-waters of the Siapa must have very nearly approached the sources 

 of the Orinoco, 



* The piragoa of Venezuela is the same as the igarate of Brazil, and has for its 

 foundation a hollowed tree-trunk, ahove which are fastened three or more planks on 

 each side. 



