136 THE TOCANTINS. Chap. IV. 



visit the falls. The vigorous and successful way in which 

 our men battled with the terrific currents excited our 

 astonishment. The bed of the river, here about a mile 

 wide, is strewn with blocks of various sizes, which lie in 

 the most irregular manner, and between them rush cur- 

 rents of more or less rapidity. With an accurate know- 

 ledge of the place and skilful management, the falls can 

 be approached in small canoes by threading the less 

 dangerous channels. The main fall is about a quarter 

 of a mile wide ; we climbed to an elevation overlooking 

 it, and had a good view of the cataract. A body of 

 water rushes with terrific force down a steep slope, 

 and boils up with deafening roar around the boulders 

 which obstruct its course. The wildness of the whole 

 scene was very impressive. As far as the eye could 

 reach, stretched range after range of wooded hills, 

 scores of miles of beautiful wilderness, inhabited only 

 by scanty tribes of wild Indians. In the midst of such 

 a solitude the roar of the cataract seemed fitting music. 



September I7th. We commenced early in the morn- 

 ing our downward voyage. Arroyos is situated in about 

 4° 10' S. lat ; and lies, therefore, about 130 miles from 

 the mouth of the Tocantins. Fifteen miles above 

 Guaribas another similar cataract called Tabocas lies 

 across the river. We were told that there were in 

 all fifteen of these obstructions to navigation between 

 Arroyos and the mouth of the Araguaya. The worst 

 was the Inferno, the Guaribas standing second to it 

 in evil reputation. Many canoes and lives have been 

 lost here, most of the accidents arising through the 



