A WILD SCENE. I37 



madic life, deriving their means of subsistence from the 

 chase and depredatory excursions upon the neighboring 

 agricultural tribes. 



Opposite the mouth of the Meta, and near the eastern 

 shore of the Orinoco, rises a large rock called Piedra de la 

 Paciencia, the stone of patience, from the difficulty boats 

 experience in making its passage. The height and steep- 

 ness of the cliffs, upon either side of the channel that must 

 be made, prevent towing, and render it necessary to stem 

 the powerful current with the paddles. We found occasion 

 to call into requisition an ixnusual amount of " paciencia," 

 but, after a severe pull, being swept back each moment 

 almost as much as we ascended, we at length moored 

 safely above. We spent the night upon the rocks, spread- 

 ing our blankets beneath us, which relieved in a degree 

 their hardness, but not their heat, Avhich they receive 

 during the day and retain with apparently little loss 

 through a large portion of the night. 



Three hours before daylight we embarked, in order to 

 pass the Paudalde Tabaja before night. The wind rising 

 by 9 A. M., we were enabled to use our sail for the first time 

 in many days. At noon we halted lapon the right bank, where 

 a narrow belt of woodland bordered the river. The coun- 

 try to the eastward presented a rocky and desert waste, 

 filled with jungles — fit haunts for jaguars and venomous 

 serpents. A wilder scene we found noAvhere in oiir wan- 

 derings ; and with no little apprehension we roamed over 

 the place in search of the few plants which clung to the 

 jagged cliffs, or sprang up in the deep morasses. We 

 observed with interest the melo cactus, which found a 

 genial home upon these burning rocks. It is of a globular 

 shape, from eight to twelve inches in diameter, and covered 

 with thorns that make it dangerous to disturb. The juice 

 contained within its prickly shell tempts the thirsty animal 

 of the sun-parched plains, which, it is said, carefully pene- 



