UP THE RIO TEMI. 163 



tive, "the most robust Indian would not have ventured 

 to undertake I" She traversed the woods when the sky 

 was constantly covered with clouds, and the sun during 

 the whole days appeared but for a few minutes. Did the 

 Course of the waters direct her way ? The inundations 

 of the rivers forced her to go far from the banks of the 

 main stream, through the midst of woods where the 

 movement of the water was almost imperceptible. How 

 often must she have been stopped by the thorny lianas, 

 that formed a network around the trunks they entwined ! 

 How often must she have swum across the rivulets that 

 ran into the Atabapo ! This unfortunate woman was 

 asked how she had sustained herself during the four 

 days. She said that, exhausted with fatigue, she could 

 find no other nourishment than black ants. The travel- 

 lers pressed the missionary to tell them whether the 

 Guahiba had peacefully enjoyed the happiness of remain- 

 ing with her children ; and if any repentance had fol- 

 lowed this excess of cruelty. He would not satisfy their 

 curiosity ; but at their return from the Eio Negro they 

 learned that the Indian mother was again separated from 

 her children, and sent to one of the missions of the Upper 

 Orinoco. She there died, refusing all kind of nourish- 

 ment. 



Above the mouth of the Guasucari they entered the 

 Rio Temi. The country exhibited the uniform aspect 

 of forests covering ground perfectly flat. Wherever the 

 river had formed caves the forest was inundated to the 

 extent of more than half a league square. To avoid 

 the sinuosities of the river and shorten the passage, the 

 navigation was performed here in an extraordinary man- 

 ner. The Indians made the travellers leave the bed of 



