UPPER CATARACT. 217 



sheet of foam presents a different aspect. Some- 

 times tlie mountain isles and palms project their long 

 shadows over it; sometimes the rays of the setting 

 sun are refracted in the humid cloud that covers the 

 cataract, when coloured arches form, vanish, and 

 reappear by turns." 



The mountain of Manimi forms the eastern limit 

 of a plain, which presented the same appearance as 

 that of Atures. Towards the west is a level space 

 formerly occupied by the waters of the river, and 

 exhibiting rocks similar to the islands of the cata- 

 racts. These masses are also crowned with palms ; 

 and one of them, called Keri, is celebrated in the 

 country for a white spot, which Humboldt supposed 

 to be a large nodule of quartz. In an islet amid 

 the rush of waters there is a similar spot. The 

 Indians view them with a mysterious interest, be- 

 lieving they see in the former the image of the moon, 

 and in the latter that of the sun. 



The inhabitants of the mission were Guahiboes 

 and Macoes. In the time of the Jesuits the number 

 was six hundred, but it had gradually fallen to less 

 than sixty. They are represented as gentle, tem- 

 perate, and cleanly. They cultivate plantains and 

 cassava, and, like most of the Indians of the Orinoco, 

 prepare nourishing drinks from the fruits of palms 

 and other plants. Some of them were occupied in 

 manufacturing a coarse pottery. Cattle, and espe- 

 cially goats, had at one time multiplied considerably 

 at Maypures ; but at the period of Humboldt's visit 

 none were to be seen in any mission of the Orinoco. 

 Tame macaws were seen round the huts, and fly- 

 ing in the fields like pigeons. Their plumage being 

 of the most vivid tints of purple, blue, and yellow, 

 these birds are a great ornament to the Indian farm- 

 yards. 



Round the village there grows a majestic tree of 

 the genus Unona, with straiglit branches rising in the 

 form of a pyramid, The infusion of the aromatic 



T 



