130 M. F. Castelnau on the 
tained a loss, little thought of at the time, but keenly felt afterwards, 
that of our supply of salt. 
We now followed the right bank of the stream, proceeding by land, 
and clinging with infinite difficulty to the rocks, The canoes made 
vain efforts to rejoin us; they were prevented by the force of the 
current. Ere long they were struggling with the Maperontani Fall, 
where the river, hemmed in betwixt perpendicular cliffs rushes 
furiously against the enormous rocks that obstruct its course. The 
fall presents three successive steps, and is about three metres and 
a half in total height. We held the right bank, whereas the canoes 
ran along the left. We could see everything, but the noise effec- 
tually prevented our making ourselves heard. Such of the canoes as 
contained a few articles succeeded in passing, but it was soon found 
impossible to get the others over with their cargoes. The Indians 
and the men who had been hired, quite spent with fatigue, refused 
to take the baggage in their arms ; and then it was that the faithful 
Florentino threw it over his shoulder, and, quite unassisted, carried 
the entire lading of the two canoes, in successive trips, over fright- 
ful rocks. I anxiously followed him with my eye, fearing lest, sink- 
ing with fatigue, he might leave behind what was the most precious 
article for me, yet whose value he could not appreciate, my only 
barometer, brought with so much difficulty from Lima. Great was 
my delight at seeing him take up the instrument and carry it with 
a sort of respect to the point where it could be re-embarked. The 
Indians then attached stout ropes of bindweed to the canoes, and 
thus succeeded in passing them over the cataract. It was not until 
nightfall, and about half a league farther on, that we could rejoin our 
fellow-travellers on board the canoes. Several of them had lost 
their clothes that day ; and it gave M. Deville and myself great plea- 
sure to share with them the few articles that remained. 
Weak as we were from the effects of bad food, and harassed with 
fatigue, our courage was sustained by the certainty of our having 
nearly reached the termination of the falls. Of this we were made 
aware, both by the thermometer and by the notably diminished ele- 
vation of the spurs of the Cordillera. In fact, on the 27th, we passed 
the two last falls, but these are the most terrible of all. The for- 
mer of these is called Chalioncani; the latter, Chilbucani ; the latter 
is an object of dread even to the Antés Indians, habituated though 
they be to that kind of danger. 
At this point the river enters a narrow channel, and on each side 
perpendicular rocks tower as high as the eye can reach. The waters 
rush furiously down this pass, which, towards its lower extremity, 
becomes a gorge only from six to eight metres wide. While the 
savages passed the canoes along by means of cordage attached to both 
ends, we followed a narrow ledge running along the left bank. 
This we found exceedingly difficult to pass, helping each other the. 
best way we could. At last we suddenly came to the end of this para- 
