180 A NATURALIST IN THE GUIANA S 



CHAPTEK XIII 



EXPEDITION TO THE NICHAEE, DECEMBEE 22, 1900- 

 JANUARY 28, 1901. THE NICHABE 



My first tapir — Morocotos — Otters— The rubber industry — The rubber 

 on the Nichare — Establishment of settlements— New birds obtained — 

 News of Facundo's death — Eeturn to La Prision. 



The Nichare is wide at its mouth, but beyond the rapids 

 of La Raya it narrows to a breadth of about 150 yards. 

 I did not notice any appreciable diminution in its 

 volume at Pozo Bravo, the farthest point reached, so 

 that the river must be navigable for a considerable dis- 

 tance beyond. 



My boat, with Isidor as pilot, was the first to reach 

 La Baya. The ascent of this rapid is arduous and risky. 

 The number of rays which infest the Nichare, and which 

 appear to be particularly abundant at this spot, make the 

 navigation of the river doubly difficult ; for the men, being 

 afraid to get into the water at critical moments when it is 

 necessary that the boats should be pushed off any shallow 

 spot where they may have grounded, lose so much time 

 in jumping overboard that the boat is generally swamped 

 before it can be floated. These rays, so dreaded by both 

 Venezuelans and Indians, belong to the family of the 

 sting-rays whose tails are armed with spines secreting 

 a poisonous mucus. Maite described most graphically to 

 me how he was once wounded by a sting-ray, and how 



