THE GUAMO INDIANS 101 



was cooler, for the thermometer (which generally kept up 

 in the daytime to 30 or 35) had sunk to 24. The tempera- 

 ture of the river was little changed : it continued constantly 

 at 26 or 27. The current carried with it an enormous 

 number of trunks of trees. It might be imagined that on 

 ground entirely smooth, and where the eye cannot dis- 

 tinguish the least hill, the river would have formed by the 

 force of its current a channel in a straight line; but a 

 glance at the map, which I traced by the compass, will 

 prove the contrary. The two banks, worn by the waters, 

 do not furnish an equal resistance; and almost impercep- 

 tible inequalities of the level suffice to produce great sinuo- 

 sities. Yet below the Joval, where the bed of the river 

 enlarges a little, it forms a channel that appears perfectly 

 straight, and is shaded on each side by very tall trees. 

 This part of the river is called Cano Rico. I found it to 

 be one hundred and thirty-six toises broad. We passed 

 a low island, inhabited by thousands of flamingos, rose- 

 coloured spoonbills, herons* and moorhens, which displayed 

 plumage of the most various colours. These birds were 

 BO close together that they seemed to be unable to stir. 

 The island they frequent is called Isla de Aves, or Bird 

 Island. Lower down we passed the point where the Bio 

 Arichuna, an arm of the Apure, branches off to the Cabu- 

 lare, carrying away a considerable body of its waters. We 

 stopped, on the right bank, at a little Indian mission, inha- 

 bited by the tribe of the Guamos, called the village of 

 Santa Barbara de Arichuna. 



The Guamos* are a race of Indians very difficult to fix 

 on a settled spot. They have great similarity of manners 

 with the Achaguas, the Guajibos,f and the Ottomacs, par- 

 taking their disregard of cleanliness, their spirit of ven- 

 geance, and their taste for wandering ; but their language 

 differs essentially. The greater part of these four tribes 

 live by fishing and hunting, in plains often inundated, 

 situated between the Apure, the Meta, and the Guaviare. 

 The nature of these regions seems to invite the natives to 

 a wandering life. On entering the mountains of the Cata- 



Father Gili observes that their Indian name is Uamtt and Pau, aad 

 that they originally dwelt on the Upper Apure. 

 f Their Indian name is Guahiva. 

 TOL. II. M 



