184 INDIAN ENCAMPMEHT. 



the summit of mountains gave birth, among the nations of 

 the Orinoco, to the tradition of some great inundation 

 which extinguished for a time the germs of organic life on 

 our globe. The country that extends from the right bank 

 of the Orinoco to the Cassiquiare and the Eio Negro, is a 

 country of primitive rocks. I saw there one small formation 

 of sandstone or conglomerate ; but no secondary limestone, 

 and no trace of petrifactions. 



A fresh north-east breeze carried us full-sail towards the 

 Boca de la Tortnga. We landed, at eleven in the morn- 

 ing, on an island which the Indians of the Missions of Uru- 

 ana considered as their property, and whicli lies in the 

 middle of the river. This island is celebrated for the turtle 

 fishery, or, as they say here, the cosecha, l the harvest [of 

 eggs,]' that takes place annually. "We here found an 

 assemblage of Indians, encamped under huts made of 

 palm-leaves. This encampment contained more than three 

 hundred persons. Accustomed, since we had left San 

 Fernando de Apure, to see only desert shores, we were 

 singularly struck by the bustle that prevailed here. We 

 found, besides the Guamos and the Ottomacs of Uruana, 

 who are both considered as savage races, Caribs and other 

 Indians of the Lower Orinoco. Every tribe was separately 

 encamped, and was distinguished by the pigments with whicK 

 their skins were painted. Some white men were seen amidst 

 this tumultuous assemblage, chiefly pulperos, or little traders 

 of Angostura, who had come up the river to purchase turtle 

 oil from the natives. The missionary of Uruana, a native 

 of Alcala, came to meet us, and he was extremely astonished 

 at seeing us. After having admired our instruments, he 

 gave us an exaggerated picture of the sufferings to which 

 we should be necessarily exposed in ascending the Orinoco 

 beyond the cataracts. The object of our journey appeared 

 to him very mysterious. " How is it possible to believe," 

 said he, " that you have left your country, to come and be 

 devoured by mosquitos on this river, and to measure lands 

 that are not your own ? " We were happily furnished with 

 recommendations from the Superior of the Franciscan Mis- 

 sions, and the brother-in-law of the governor of Varinas, 

 who accompanied us, soon dissipated the doubts to which 

 our dress, our accent, and our arrival in this sandy island, 



