AT SAN FEENANDO DE ATABAPO. 157 



Strata of red, yellow, and white clay ; the last equallmg 

 in quality that from, which porcelain-ware is manufactured 

 in our own country. They all doubtless belong to the 

 great ochraccous formation, known as Tabatinga clay, 

 met with throughout the valleys of the Rio Negro and 

 Amazons. But few islands or rocks here obstructed the 

 river; and often, looking up the broad stream, marked 

 upon either side by a long forest-line, our eyes rested upon 

 a blank horizon — the meeting of the water and sky. On 

 the morning of the 3d of December, we passed a large 

 square rock standing in the river, called El CastilUto, the 

 little castle. Here Avas also a raudal, through which we 

 hauled our canoe, and two hours after sunset, under the 

 light of a bright moon, we crossed the river for the last 

 time, and, bidding farewell to its waters, entered the 

 mouth of the Guaviare. Thus terminated our long and 

 tedious voyage up the Orinoco. Following up a short 

 distance the Guaviare to its confluence with the Atabapo, 

 we turned into the latter, and soon after landed at the 

 town of San Fernando. 



