

WANDERINGS IN SOUTH AMERICA. 101 



picking up the fallen nuts and fruits of the forest. When 

 he fell in with game, he procured fire from two sticks, and 

 cooked it on the spot. When a hut happened to be in his 

 way, he stepped in, and asked for something to eat, and 

 then months elapsed ere they saw him again. They did 

 not know what had caused him to be thus unsettled ; he 

 had been so for years ; nor did they believe that even old 

 age itself would change 1 the habits of this poor, harmless, 

 solitary wanderer. 



From Simon's, the traveller may reach the large fall, 

 with ease, in four days. 



The first falls that he meets are merely rapids, scarce a 

 stone appearing above the water in the rainy season ; and 

 those in the bed of the river, barely high enough to arrest 

 the water's course, and by causing a bubbling, show that 

 they are there. 



W^ith this small change of appearance in the stream, 

 the stranger observes nothing new till he comes within 

 eight or ten miles of the great fall. Each side of the 

 river presents an uninterrupted range of wood, just as 

 it did below. All the productions found betwixt 

 the plantations and the rock Saba, are to be met with 

 here. 



From Simon's to the great fall there are five habitations 

 of the Indians two of them close to the river's side ; the 

 other three a little way in the forest. These habitations 

 consist of from four to eight huts, situated on about an 

 acre of ground which they have cleared from the sur- 

 rounding woods. A few Pappaw, Cotton, and mountain 

 cabbage-trees, are scattered round them. 



At one of these habitations a small quantity of the 

 Wourali poison was procured. It was in a little gourd. 

 The Indian who had it said that he had killed a number 

 of Wild Hogs with it, and two Tapirs. Appearances seemed 



