French Scientific Mission to the Pampa del Sacramento. 131 
pet, and were horrified to find we should have to embark from the top 
of a very high rock, worn perpendicular by the action of the water, 
which was boiling with incredible fury at its base. The Indians 
passed the canoes along with great skill; but the cordage that at- 
tached one of these to the rest, having snapt, it shot down a great 
way with the speed of an arrow. The whole being brought at last 
to one place, the embarkation proceeded. 
By this time I was so reduced in strength, that I was obliged to 
have myself bound to a rope before I durst venture to slide down 
from the top of the rock. An Indian tribe, very little known as 
yet, the Pauca Pacouris, often lie in ambush among these rocks, with 
the view of attacking the Antés when engaged in surmounting the 
natural difficulties of this passage. 
Hardly had we emerged from this dangerous pass, when we en- 
tered a narrow channel, differing much, however, from the last. 
Here the water lay perfectly still and dead, as if the river had been 
exhausted with its long struggle, and felt the need of repose. This 
formed one of the most picturesque points I ever saw; on each side 
immense perpendicular schistous rocks, taking the forms of vast 
towers and ramparts. They impend high over the river, and from 
their summits descend innumerable cascades, which, ere they reach 
the surface of the stream below, are dissipated into mere mist and 
rain, which the rays of the sun tinge with all the hues of the rain- 
bow. In the interstices of the rocks, there is a vigorous growth of 
tropical vegetation, in which elegant palms form the finest object. 
No words can give an adequate idea of the beauty of this magnificent 
landscape. 
Here the falls of the Urubamba terminate, and we had hence- 
forth nothing worse to encounter than rapids attended with little 
danger; and now there lay stretched out before us, the vast wooded 
plains known as the Pampa del Sacramento. This point is about 
sixty leagues from Echarate ; and should trade ever take possession 
of the course of the Ucayali, here there should be a post, and a land 
route should be opened as far as the settlements in the valley of Santa 
Anna. 
The Indians left us on the following night, and we found the 
utmost difficulty in pursuing our voyage without them. The whole 
morning was spent without food, when, at last, pressed by hunger, we 
entered a small stream, the Rio Sabeti, into which we threw a 
poisonous root used by the Indians for the fish, and shortly a num- 
ber of small ones, about the size of gudgeons, rose to the surface 
in a torpid state. Among these there was one of a new kind which 
I wanted to add to our collections, but its owner refused to part with 
it until I had relinquished to him all my own share of the capture. 
This I mention only to shew how far hunger had led us. Not 
long afterwards some Indians sold us some green bananas which 
we devoured when hardly cooked in the ashes. One more of the 
