CHAPTER XI. 



THE GREAT CATARACTS OF THE ORINOCO. 



Grandeur of the Kaiaids of Atures. — Passing the Cataracts.— Village of 

 Atures. — Weapons of the Natives. — Sutfering from Insects. — Cave of 

 Ataruipe. — Beautiful Palms. — Arrive at the Eaudales de Maypures. — 

 Magnificent View of the Cataracts. — Thanksgiving Dinner. — Village 

 of Maypures. — Nature's Chronometer. — Farewell to the Orinoco. — At 

 San Fernando de Atabapo. 



The Orinoco, eight hiuidred miles from the sea, forcing 

 its way through a granitic range of the Guiana Mountains, 

 forms the cataracts of Atures. To obtain a view of these 

 rapids, let the traveller place himself on the summit of 

 overlooking hills which rise just to the east of the river, 

 and he has before him a scene that is stupendously grand. 

 Other landscapes may be viewed and forgotten ; but the 

 majestic ajipearance of the rapids of the Atures leaves an 

 impression that will never fade from the memory. For 

 more than a league the river is broken by rajiids and filled 

 with huge granitic masses, piled on one another in endless 

 confusion ; while islands, clothed with crested palm-trees 

 and beautiful vegetation, rise above the whitened waters. 

 The river is divided by these enchanting islets into numer- 

 ous channels, through which the waters, lashed into foam, 

 tumble with frightful violence, breaking with deafening 

 roar upon the rocks. At the season of the greatest rise of 

 the Orinoco, when these stones and crags which fill the 



