410 THE RIO PACIMONI. 



taking the altitudes of the two beautiful stars which shine 

 in the feet of the Centaur. This observation made known 

 to us at the same time, with sufficient precision for the 

 purposes of geography, the positions of the mouth of the 

 Pacunoni, of the fortress of San Carlos, and of the junction 

 of the Cassiquiare with the Bio Negro. The rock of Culi- 

 macari is precisely in latitude 2 0' 42", and probably in 

 longitude 69 33' 50". 



Satisfied with our observations, we left the rock of Culi- 

 rnacari at half past one on the morning of the 12th. The 

 torment of mosquitos, to which we were exposed, augmented 

 in proportion as we withdrew from the Bio Negro. There 

 are no zancudos in the valley of Cassiquiare, but the simu- 

 lia, and all the other insects of the tipulary family, are the 

 more numerous and venomous. Having still eight nights to 

 pass in the open air in this damp and unhealthy climate, 

 Before we could reach the mission of Esmeralda, our pilot 

 sought to arrange our passage in such a manner as might 

 enable us to enjoy the hospitality of the missionary of 

 Mandavaca, and some shelter in the village of Vasiva. We 

 went up with difficulty against the current, which was nine 

 feet, and in some places (where I measured it with pre- 

 cision) eleven feet eight inches in a second, that is, almost 

 eight miles an hour. Our restirg-place was probably not 

 farther than three leagues in a right line from the mission 

 of Mandavaca ; yet, though we had no reason to complain 

 of inactivity on the part of our rowers, we were fourteen 

 hours in making this short passage. 



Towards sunrise we passed the mouth of the Bio Paci- 

 moni, a river which I mentioned when speaking of the trade 

 in sarsaparilla, and which (by means of the Baria) inter- 

 twines in so remarkable a way with the Cababuri. The 

 Pacimoni rises in a hilly ground, from the confluence of 

 three small rivers,* not marked on the maps of the mission- 

 aries. Its waters are black, but less so than those of the 

 lake of Vasiva, which also communicates with the Cassi- 

 quiare. Between those two tributary streams coming from 

 the east, lies the mouth of the Bio Idapa, the waters of 

 which are white. I shall not recur again to the difficulty of 



* The Rios Guajavaca, Moreje, and Cachevaynery . 



