130 TUE MOUNTAINS OF ENCARAMADA. 



bare as the shores of the sea, resembled at a distancej 

 from the effect of the mirage, pools of stagnant water. 

 These sandy shores, far from fixing the limits of the 

 river, rendered them uncertain, by enlarging or contract- 

 ing them alternately, according to the variable action of 

 the solar rays. 



Struck with the extreme breadth of the Orinoco, be- 

 tween the mouth of the Apure and the rock Curiquima, 

 Humboldt ascertained it by means of a base measured 

 twice on the western beach. The bed of the Orinoco, at 

 low water, was over six thousand feet broad ; but this 

 breadth was increased to thirtj^-two thousand feet in the 

 rain}^ season. 



The travellers first proceeded south-west, as far as the 

 shore inhabited by the Gruaricoto Indians on the left bank 

 of the Orinoco, and then advanced straight towards the 

 south. The river was so broad that the mountains of 

 Encaramada appeared to rise from the water, as if seen 

 above the horizon of the sea. They formed a continued 

 chain from east to west. These mountains were com- 

 posed of enormous blocks of granite, cleft and piled one 

 upon another. What contributed above all to embellish 

 the scene at Encaramada was the luxuriance of vegeta- 

 tion that covered the sides of the rocks, leaving bare only 

 their rounded summits. They looked like ancient ruins 

 rising^ in the midst of a forest. 



In the port of Encaramada they met with some Caribs 

 of Panapana. A cacique was going up the Orinoco in 

 his canoe, to join in the famous fishing of turtle's eggs. 

 His canoe was rounded toward the bottom, and fol- 

 lowed by a smaller boat. He was seated beneath a sort 

 of tent, constructed, like the sail, of palm-leaves. His 



