FEATUKES OF THE RIVER. 133 



were-brokcn ranges, which in places approached the river, 

 and in others receded to a distance ; they were not Avholly 

 lost sight of until we passed the upper rapids of May- 

 jjures ; the vrestern shore was bordered with forest no- 

 where of any great depth, beyond which spread out tlie 

 grass-covered plains of the Rio Meta. Occasionally we 

 landed to jirocure some beautiful bird we saw through the 

 branches of the trees, or to secure game for our commis- 

 sary department ; but it was not good hunting-ground, at 

 least, so we thought, after having crossed the plains of 

 Apure swarming with animated life. Evidences of deer 

 were to be seen in the piles of horns around every hut. 

 They were abundant on the savannas, but lack of time 

 prevented our making any extended expedition for them. 

 We missed our noisy friends, the guacamayas ; and the 

 shrill cries of herons, flamingoes, and other water-birds, 

 wei'e seldom heard. Pheasants and wild-turkeys were 

 more abundant, but difficult to obtain, from their extreme 

 shyness. The height of the trees rendered our shot-guns 

 useless, and only with the rifle-ball could an object be 

 reached in the top of the forest giants. 



At mid-day we landed at a deserted hut, where a sugar- 

 cane grove had fallen beneath the tread of ravenous chi- 

 quires and prowling jaguars ; but from banana-trees, which 

 had been undisturbed, we gathered some fine bunches of 

 fruit to cai-ry with us. Opposite us, upon the eastern 

 shore of the river, rose a granitic mountain, whose naked 

 declivity descended to the water's edge. Upon its bald 

 top a fort was erected by the Jesuits, and occupied by 

 them as a military post ; during the war for independence 

 it served as a fortress to the Spaniards, who were com- 

 pelled to evacuate it, after a siege of four days, by the 

 Venezuelian forces. The place, although nothing is now 

 seen but the rock, still bears the name, " El Castillo de los 

 Espaiioles " — the castle of the Spaniards. In the face of 



