178 VOYAGE DO"WN THE KIO NEGRO. 



to the -world through that celebrated English traveller, 

 Mr, "Wallace, who twice ascended it, penetrating far toward 

 its source amid wild Indian tribes, of which he has given 

 us such graphic and interesting accounts. Five days' 

 journey from the Rio Negro, he encountered the first and 

 most dangerous falls of the Uaupes, above which, he says, 

 " the river became full of rocks to a degree to which even 

 the rockiest part of the Rio I^egro was a trifle." After 

 our descent of the Great Cataracts of the Rio Negro, we 

 realized Avhat must have been the adventurous experiences 

 of that bold explorer amid the torrents and cascades of 

 the Uaupes. 



AVe now proceeded with greater rapidity and increas- 

 ing danger, as we were entering the great rapids, and at 

 length we came to where the river was filled with bowl- 

 ders and rocky ledges extending from bank to bank. At 

 times we were borne smoothly and swiftly down the dark 

 current ; then we went plunging madly through whitened 

 whirlpools, amid rocks and leaping waters. On we rushed 

 down the narrow channels, formed by the islands and rock- 

 niasses, often barely escaping destruction from the ledges 

 hidden beneath the sheet of foam. At 1 p. m, we reached 

 San Gabriel, a military post with a fort and garrison. The 

 village occupies quite a commanding position, overlooking 

 the rapids just below, which are the principal ones of the 

 extended series of the river, and more dangerous than 

 those we had encountered. These, after a short rest, we 

 proceeded to pass. Pushing into the middle of the cur- 

 rent, we w^ere borne down among the breakers, every man 

 straining at his paddle to keep the boat rightly headed, 

 and to shun the rocks that studded the river. It was with 

 a feeling of relief that we at length saw ourselves riding 

 safely below the obstructions, We continued down the 

 river, plunging noAV and then into a whirling eddy, with- 

 out a greater mishap than shipping a quantity of w^ater. 



