372 A VOYAGE TO Book VI. 



ticiilar attention, and to whose judgment the greatest 

 deference is due, is of opinion, that the breadth of 

 the Pongo, even in its narrowest part, is twenty-five 

 toises ; and the length of the Pongo about two leagues, 

 reckoning from the place where the shores begin to 

 approach, as far as the city of Borga. And this 

 distance he was carried in fifty-seven minutes. He 

 observes also, that the wind was contrary ; and con- 

 sequently his balza did not go so far as the current 

 would otherwise have carried herj so that, making 

 allowance for this obstruction, the current may be 

 stated at two leagues and a half or at three leagues 

 an hour. 



The breadth and depth of this river is answerable 

 to ite vast length ; and in the pongos or streights, and 

 other parts v/here its breadth is contracted, its depth 

 is augmented proportionally. And hence many are 

 deceived by the appearance of other rivers which join 

 it, their breadth causing them to be taken for the real 

 Maranon ; but the mind is soon convinced of its error, 

 by observing the little increase which the Maranon re* 

 ceives from the influx of them* This large river, by 

 continuing its course without any visible change in its 

 breadth or rapidity, demonstrates that the others, 

 though before the object of astonishment, are not com- 

 parable with it. In other parts it displays its whole 

 grandeur; dividing itself into several large branches, 

 including a multitude of islands, particularly in the 

 intermediate space between the mouth of the Ñapo and 

 that of the Coari, which lies something to the west- 

 ward of the river Negro ; where, dividing itself into 

 many branches, it forms an infinite number of islands. 

 Betwixt the mission of Peba, which is at present the 

 last of the Spanish, and that of San Pablo the first 

 of the Portuguese, M. de la Condamine, and Don 

 Pedro Maldonado, having measured, the breadth of 

 some of these branches, found them nearly equal to 

 nine hundred toises, that is, almost a sea league. At 

 S the 



