WANDERINGS IN SOUTH AMERICA 31 



green and purple. The tops of some are crowned 

 with bloom of the loveliest hue ; while the boughs 

 of others bend with a profusion of seeds and 

 fruits. 



Those whose heads have been bared by time, or 

 blasted by the thunder-storm, strike the eye, as a 

 mournful sound does the ear in music ; and seem 

 to beckon to the sentimental traveller to stop a 

 moment or two, and see that the forests which 

 surround him, like men and kingdoms, have their 

 periods of misfortune and decay. 



The first rocks of any considerable size that are 

 observed on the side of the river are at a place 

 called Saba, from the Indian word, which means 

 a stone. They appear sloping down to the water's 

 edge, not shelvy, but smooth, and their exuber- 

 ances rounded off, and, in some places, deeply fur- 

 rowed, as though they had been worn with 

 continual floods of water. 



There are patches of soil up and down, and 

 the huge stones amongst them produce a pleasing 

 and novel effect. You see a few Coffee-trees of a 

 fine luxuriant growth; and nearly on the top of 

 Saba stands the house of the post-holder. 



He is appointed by government to give in his 

 report to the protector of the Indians of what is 

 going on amongst them, and to prevent suspicious 

 people from passing up the river. -^1 



When the Indians assemble here the stranger 

 may have an opportunity of seeing tlje Aborigines 

 dancing to the sound of their country music, and 

 painted in their native style. They will shoot 

 their arrows for him with an unerring aim, and 

 send the poisoned dart from the blow-pipe true 



