CATARACTS OF THE ORINOCO. 167 



with surprise, for I hence discovered that the tremendous roar 

 and wild dashing of the stream arose from the contraction of 

 its bed by numerous rocks and islands, and the counter-currents 

 produced by the form and position of the masses of rock. 

 The truth of my assertion regarding the inconsiderable height 

 of the whole fall will be best verified by observing the cata- 

 racts, in descending to the bed of the river, from the village 

 of Maypures, across the rocks of Manimi. 



At this point the beholder enjoys a most striking and won- 

 derful prospect. A foaming surface, several miles in length, 

 intersected with iron-black masses of rock projecting like 

 battlemented ruins from the waters, is seen at one view. 

 Every islet and every rock is adorned with luxuriant forest 

 trees. A perpetual mist hovers over the watery mirror, and 

 the summits of the lofty palms pierce through the clouds of 

 vapoury spray. When the rays of the glowing evening 

 sun are refracted in the humid atmosphere, an exquisite 

 optical illusion is produced. Coloured bows appear, vanish, 

 and re-appear, while the ethereal picture dances, like an ignis 

 fatuus, with every motion of the sportive breeze. 



During the long rainy seasons, the falling waters carry down 

 quantities of vegetable mould, which accumulating, form islands 

 of the naked rocks ; adorning the barren stone with blooming 

 beds of Melastomes and Droseras, silver-leaved Mimosa, and 

 a variety of ferns. They recal to the mind of the European 

 those groups of vegetation which the inhabitants of the Alps 

 term courtils, blocks of granite bedecked with flowers which 

 project solitarily amid the Glaciers of Savoy. 



In the blue distance the eye rests on the mountain chain of 

 Cunavami, a far-stretching chain of hills which terminates 

 abruptly in a sharply truncated cone. We saw this conical 

 hill, called by the Indians Calitamini, glowing at sunset as if 

 in crimson flames. This appearance daily returns. No one 

 has ever been in the immediate neighbourhood of this 

 mountain. Possibly its dazzling brightness is produced 



