FIFTEEN HUNDRED MILES ON THE ORINOCO 147 



river for a considerable distance in search of the serrapia 

 or tonca-bean. The tree (Dipteryx odoratd) upon which the 

 fruit grows resembles a mango, with spreading branches 

 and deep-green, dense leaves. The fruit also is very similar 

 to the mango, though green, with tough, fibrous flesh and a 

 large seed. While the fruit is still green great quantities of 

 it are destroyed by macaws and parrots, which take a bite 

 or two, then drop the rest on the ground. Upon ripening, 

 the fruit falls, when it is gathered into heaps and dried; 

 the seeds are later cracked open and the strong-smelling 

 kernel extracted to be carefully preserved and sent to 

 Ciudad Bolivar, where it is treated in casks of rum and 

 then exported. It is used in making perfumes and flavor- 

 ing extracts. 



The water of the Caura is of a clear dark-red color, and 

 for a great distance after entering the Orinoco the two 

 waters flow side by side without mingling in the slightest 

 degree. 



The Orinoco widens into a majestic stream above this 

 point, and we estimated that the distance from bank to 

 bank must in some places be from three to five miles; also, 

 vast sand-banks stretch along both sides for a distance of 

 many miles. 



Caicara, the only town of importance on the Orinoco 

 besides Ciudad Bolivar, consisted at the time of our visit 

 of about one hundred and fifty houses, but on account of a 

 rubber and serrapia boom on the Cuchivero many of the 

 inhabitants were leaving for the latter place. The next 

 day we passed the mouth of the Apure, and just beyond 

 the mouth of the Arichuma; a great low, sandy island rises 

 out of the centre of the Orinoco at this point, on which 

 thousands of terns, skimmers, gulls, and other water-fowl 

 were apparently nesting. All day long and even at night 

 the air was filled with darting, screaming birds that made 

 such a terrific din that it was impossible to sleep. High 

 waves prevented our landing on the island, but the natives 

 visit it regularly, taking away canoe-loads of eggs; for this 



