308 MR, SPRUCE'S BOTANICAL EXCURSION 
a species of Pourouma, Aubl.; and the small Cocura (Cocura-t), sent 
from the Barra, is probably of the same genus, though I formerly 
thought it an undescribed genus. 
Above Uanauáca all was rapids; indeed there had been little else 
from St. Isabel, and it still took me several days to get to the base of 
the great falls. To ascend the latter took three mortal days and nights, 
and I can assure you that cataracts are far more delightful things to 
look at than to go up or down. We had some narrow escapes, and 
contrived to make a hole in the keel of the canoe, which kept my men 
baling out water the whole of the last night. ‘The principal fall is just 
below Sad Gabriel, and its roar is ever in my ear; but up to the mouth 
of the Uaupés the river is still nothing but falls and rapids. I went 
thus far (to Saó Joaquim) shortly after reaching Sad Gabriel, in order 
to visit Mr. Wallace, who was brought to death’s door by “ Rio Negro 
fever,” whose effects will probably long hang on him, though he has 
happily got about again. 
From Uanauäca upwards it was scarcely possible to do anything, on 
account of the rapids. It was necessary to fasten everything to the 
sides of the tolda, to prevent their falling one on the other; nor was 
it possible tp dry any paper on the outside. It is not very pleasant 
work here to be always among cataracts in my excursions. I have 
been once the whole length of the falls, and up again: I was out four 
days, but two of them were lost time. I made my station at the house 
of the pilot of the falls, at the foot of the latter, and arrived just in 
time to see the commencement of one of their great “ festas.” Much 
against my will I was compelled also to see the end of it, for no one 
would stir until after two days of drinking and two nights of dancing. 
I was interested to hear the legend of the discovery of the Mandiocca- 
root, sung in the Barré language; but this was poor consolation for 
such a loss of time, and you may imagine how I fretted in my impri- 
sonment in a small rocky island, begirt with foaming waters, where I 
could not find a single flower that 1 had not already gathered. In re- 
turning, with four men, we passed all the falls without accident, until 
. reaching the great fall above mentioned; here, in dragging the boat 
... up the rocks it filled with water, and a large parcel of plants in paper, 
_ about three feet high, was so completely soaked that two men could 
-Scarcely carry it. Two large vascula full of fresh specimens floated 
out, but we secured them, and I lost-only a few plants, that were loose 
