164 IN THE WILDS OF SOUTH AMERICA 



Having engaged a captain with some experience on the 

 Upper Orinoco, and a crew, we on February 3 loaded the 

 low batelao and started on our mission, reaching a point 

 called Puerto Ti Ti that night; from this spot a wide trail 

 leads through the magnificent forest to the clearing wherein 

 stands San Fernando. 



For six days we made slow but steady progress up the 

 river, and then entered the formidable Randal de Santa 

 Barbara, which extends across the entire delta of the Ven- 

 tuari. 



The Orinoco is wide but with few exceptions so shallow 

 that we pushed along with long poles. Where the water 

 was deep and the current swift, long-handled hooks were 

 used to catch the overhanging vegetation and pull the boat 

 along. This latter mode of travel was always slow and 

 dangerous and the swarms of wasps and other insects living 

 among the leaves, and shaken down, were far from being 

 agreeable travelling companions. The banks were covered 

 with dense, virgin forest; but there were extensive sand- 

 banks and flat ledges of rock at convenient intervals, and 

 one of these was always chosen for a night's camping-site. 

 If we chanced to be on a playa, the early hours of the eve- 

 ning were spent in fishing. Armed with machetes, a bag, 

 and acetylene-lamps, we waded out in the shallow water 

 and "shined" the shoals of fish much in the manner that 

 frogs are caught in parts of this country. At night the fish 

 swam near the surface, and by directing the rays of the 

 strong white light upon them one could approach to with- 

 in a short distance and then strike with the knife: in this 

 manner large numbers were taken. Occasionally a sting- 

 ray, electric eel, or crocodile was suddenly encountered and 

 then there ensued a hurried scramble in the other direc- 

 tion; this gave the pastime a decided element of sport. 

 We also became more familiar with the dreaded caribe or 

 cannibal fish, known as the piranha in Brazil, with which 

 the water teemed. In the Orinoco they attain a weight ex- 

 ceeding three pounds and are formidable indeed. The na- 



