TO THE MAQUIRITARES' LAND 



By Leo E. Miller 



Leader of the Upper Orinoco Expedition of the American Museum 



ANY attempt to give a comprehensive account of the movements and 

 results of the Upper Orinoco expedition within the confines of a 

 short magazine article is a difficult undertaking, partly on account 

 of the great distance traversed and partly because of the numerous discover- 

 ies and incidents of interest and importance attendant upon the exploration 

 of this all but unknown part of South America. 



In the latter part of November, 1912, the writer, accompanied by Mr. 

 F . X. Iglseder as assistant, sailed from New York to Trinidad and thence 

 across the Gulf of Paria and up the Orinoco to Ciudad Boli'var, two hundred 

 and forty miles from the mouth of the turbulent muddy stream. Here a 

 week was spent in provisioning the expedition and in chartering a sloop to 

 carry ourselves and the rather appalling amount of cumbersome equipment 

 to the foot of the cataract of Atures, the first effectual barrier to navigation. 

 The low stage of the water at this, the dry season, together with the numer- 

 ous, barely submerged rocks and shifting sand-banks render steamboat 

 navigation so hazardous that no attempt is made to ascend higher than the 

 mouth of the Apure. Sailboats of light draft are therefore the only craft 

 available. This latter mode of travel is further facilitated by the preva- 

 lence of a steady easterly breeze which with darkness often assumes the 

 proportion of a squall or chiguaco as it is called. 



The journey from Ciudad Boli'var to Vagre, the port of Atures consumed 

 seventeen days, from December 17 to January 2. A half day had been 

 spent at Caicara and a full day lost below El Infierno waiting for a strong 

 enough breeze to take us through that seething gorge. 



Dugouts served to convey the luggage from Vagre to Zamuro a short 

 mile away, and thence the league to Atures on the south bank of the Rio 

 Cataniapo, was covered in ox-drawn carts and other dugouts. At the 

 town of Atures we were hospitably received by General Roberto Pulido, 

 governor of the Department of the Upper Orinoco, and next day proceeded 

 to Salvajito, another league overland. Here we found anchored a trim 

 kerosene launch, capable of taking the expedition to Maipures, the next 

 stage of the journey, in half a day's time. But great was our disappointment 

 to learn that the owner requested the modest sum of four hundred dollars 

 for the service. By no dint of argument could he be persuaded to reduce 

 this figure, for in true Venezuelan style he reasoned that we were sorely in 

 need of his services and must eventually concede to his demand. But in 

 this he was mistaken. One other way of travel lay open, — namely, by a 

 small dugout canoe, and to this recourse was of necessity taken, although 

 three trips were required to transport all the equipment. 



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