THE CATARACT OF MAYPURES. 15? 



but the cries of nocturnal birds, and the distant sound of 

 the cataract. In the calm of the night, amid the deep 

 repose of nature, the monotonous sound of a fall of 

 water had in it something sad and solemn. They re- 

 mained three days at Maypures. 



Humboldt and Bonpland were enraptured with the 

 cataract of Maypures, and they often visited the little 

 mountain of Manimi to gaze upon it. A foaming sur- 

 face of four miles in length presented itself at once to 

 the eye : iron-black masses of rock, resembling ruins and 

 battlemented towers, rose frowning from the waters. 

 Eocks and islands were adorned with the luxuriant vege- 

 tation of the tropical forest; a perpetual mist hovered 

 over the waters, and the summits of the lofty palms 

 pierced through the clouds of spray and vapour. When 

 the rays of the glowing evening sun were refracted in 

 these humid exhalations a magic optical effect began. 

 Coloured bows shone, vanished and reappeared; and 

 the ethereal image was swayed to and fro by the breath 

 of the sportive breeze. During the long rainy season 

 the streaming waters brought down islands of vegetable 

 mould, and thus the naked rocks were studded with 

 bright flower-beds adorned with Melastomas and Droseras, 

 and with small silver-leaved mimosas and ferns. 



The calm of the atmosphere, and the tumultuous 

 movement of the waters, produced a contrast peculiar 

 to this zone. Here no breath of wind ever agitated the 

 foliage, no cloud veiled the splendour of the heaven ; a 

 great mass of light was diffused in the air, on the earth 

 strewn with plants with glossy leaves, and on the bed 

 of the river, which extended as far as the eye could 

 reach. 



