198 A VOYAGE TO Book V. 



well covered, that the rain, which came on very vio- 

 Jently, did not penetrate them *. 



The thermometer at Caluma, on the i6th, at six in 

 the motning-, was at 1016 ; and we were ourselves sen- 

 sible that the air began to grow cool. At half an 

 hour after eight in the morning we began our jour- 

 ney, and at noon passed by a place called Mamarumi, 

 or mother of stone, where there is an inconceivably- 

 beautiful cascade. The rock from which the water 

 precipitates itself is nearly perpendicular, and fifty 

 toises in height, and on both sides bordered with lofty 

 and spreading trees. The clearness of the water daz- 

 zles the sight, which is, however, charmed with its 

 lustre as it falls from the precipice; after which it 

 continues its course in a bed along a small descent, 

 and is crossed by the road. These cattaracts are by 

 the Indians called Paccha, and by the Spaniards-of 

 the country Chorr'era. From hence we continued 

 our journey ; and after crossing the river twice on 

 bridges, but with equal danger as in fording it, we 

 arrived at two in the evening at a place called Tari- 

 gagua, where we rested in a large structure of timber, 

 covered with vijahua leaves, built for our reception. 

 Indeed we were noless fatigued with this day's journey 

 than with any of the preceding ; some parts of it 

 being over dreadful precipices, and the road in others 

 so narrow, as hardly to afford a passage for the mules, 

 that it was impossible to avoid frequently striking 

 against the trees and rocks ; few of ustheretore reach- 

 ed Tarigagua without several bruises. 



It must not be thought strange that I should say 

 the bridges are equally dangerous with the fords ; for 

 these structures, all of wood, and very long, shake in 

 passing them ; besides, their breadth is not above three 



* The natives, when they travel, erect new.huts every night in 

 this manner, except they have the convéniency of tying their ham- 

 mocks up in trees, by which means they save the tmuble of a 

 watch and fire all night to keep off the wild beasts. A. 



