146 WANDERING TRIBES. 



making any farther progress; and our pilot 

 assured us that at this season the quantity of 

 rain that falls, so much swells the river and 

 strengthens the currents, as to make it impos 

 sible to contend with the continually increasing 

 force of the stream. We were therefore com 

 pelled to abandon the farther prosecution of 

 these inquiries to some future traveller, whose 

 fate shall lead him hither in summer time, when 

 these obstacles do not exist. 



The neighbourhood of our landing-place 

 seemed to have been recently the abode of some 

 Indians. We found a stake driven into the earth, 

 to which a bunch of feathers was attached for a 

 weather-cock ; in several places fire had been 

 kindled, as some burning embers still attested. 

 There were also two Indian canoes made of 

 reeds. The pilot gave me the names of two 

 tribes who had formerly dwelt in this region, 

 and probably still wandered in its vicinity the 

 Tschupukanes, and Hulpunes. We could now 

 see the smoke of their fires rising from the 

 marshy islands, the higher parts of which they 

 inhabit. 



