ANGOSTURA. 187 



the Ottomacs ate was a very fine and unctuous clay, of 

 a yellowish grey colour ; when it was slightly baked 

 at the fire, the hardened crust had a tint inclining to red, 

 owing to the oxide of iron which was mingled with it, 

 The travellers brought away some of this earth, which 

 they took from the winter-provision of the Indians. 



They reached Angostura on the 13th of June. In 

 seventy-five days they had performed a passage of five 

 hundred leagues on the five great rivers, Apure, Orinoco, 

 Atabapo, Rio Negro, and Cassiquiare ; and in this vast 

 extent they had found but a very small number of inha- 

 bited places. After the life they had led in the woods, 

 their dress was not in the very best order, nevertheless 

 they hastened to present themselves to Don Felipe de 

 Ynciarte, the governor of the province of Guiana, He 

 received them in the most cordial manner, and lodged 

 them in the house of the secretary of the Intendencia. 

 Coming from an almost desert country, they were struck 

 with the bustle of the town, though it contained only six 

 thousand inhabitants. They admired the conveniences 

 which industty and commerce furnish to civilized man. 

 Humble dwellings appeared to them magnificent ; and 

 every person with whom they conversed, seemed to be 

 endowed with superior intelligence. Long privations 

 give a value to the smallest enjoyments ; and Humboldt 

 could not express the pleasure he felt, when he saw for 

 the first time wheaten bread on the governor's table. 



They felt themselves on the first days after their arrival 

 tired and enfeebled, but in perfect health. Bonpland 

 began to examine the small number of plants which he 

 had been able to save from the influence of the damp 

 climate; and Humboldt was occupied in settling by 



