IN SOUTH AMERICA. 237 



1^41, p. J 8.) long a miffionary on the banks of the Orinooco, who, in 1741, regarded 

 fuch connexion as impoflible. He was certainly ignorant at that time, that his own 

 letters to the Portuguefe commandant, and the almoner of the Redemption Troop, were 

 forwarded by the very channel reputed fabulous to Para, where I faw the originals 

 themfelves in pofleflion of the governor ; but even this author himfelf, by what I learn 

 from Mr. Bouguer, who faw them laft year at Carthagena in America, is by this time 

 completely undeceived. 



The pofitive certainty of an exifting communication between the waters of the two 

 rivers, which the cited teflimonials adduce, is a geographical fa6l the more important, 

 from the circumftance that, though this union be unequivocally marked on ancient 

 maps, it has been generally fupprelfed in thofe given by modern geographers, as if by 

 common confent, and treated as chimerical by thofe who w^re fuppofed to have the 

 bed means of information. This, probably, is not the firft example of theoretic con- 

 jedture, fupported by plaufibility prevailing over fadls attefted by travellers of faith ; 

 nor the only inftance in which criticifm, too far extended, has ventured on denial, where 

 juftice allowed but of doubt. 



Yet, where does this communication between the Oronooco and the Amazons take 

 place ? This we can learn with exaditude only when the court of Portugal fhall think 

 fit to publifh a chart of the Rio Negro. In the meantime, I Ihall explain my ideas on 

 this fubjed, grounded on a comparifon of the feveral accounts I collected in the courfe 

 of my travels, with the collective narratives, memoirs, and maps, in manufcript or in 

 print, which I have been able to confult, as well on the fpots themfelves as fmce my 

 return, and efpecially with the draughts (ketched by my companion and myfelf in the 

 prefence of, and after hearing the relation of the beft informed, among thofe of the 

 mifTionaries, and others, who had afcended and defcended the Amazons and the Black 

 River. 



From thefe combined accounts, the one ftrengthening and elucidating the other, I 

 gather, that a fmall village of native Americans in the province of Mocoa (eaftward of 

 that of Paflo, and in i ° N.) gives its name of Caqueta to a river on the banks of 

 which it is fituate. Defcending lower, this river divides into three branches ; one, the 

 famous Oronooco, which mixes with the fea oppofite the illand of Trinidad, takes a 

 north-eaftern diredion ; another, the fame as lower down, is called Rio Negro by the 

 Portuguefe, flows eaftward with a gentle declination towards the fouth j the third, the 

 Yapura fo often mentioned, has likewife an eaftward courfe, but with a more fouthem 

 inclination than the preceding. I am uncertain whether or no this laft river leaves the 

 main trunk earlier than the two preceding, or whether it be merely an offspring of the 

 fecond branch, the Rio Negro : in determining, I have only conjecture for my guide ; 

 but this, founded on fubftantial reafoning, leads me to think the former of thefe po- 

 fitions moft worthy of affent. However this may be, it is at leaft plain that, if the 

 Yupura be acknowledged as a branch of the Caqueta, (a name unknown on the banks 

 of the Amazons) the whole of the relation of Father Acuna refpeding the Caqueta 

 and Yupura, becomes eafy of comprehenfion, and accordant. It is well known, that 

 the diverfity of names given to places, and efpecially to rivers, by the various na- 

 tions inhabiting their banks, has at all times occafioned to geographers the greateft 

 perplexity. 



In this ifland it is, or rather this new Mefopotamia, formed by the Amazons and the 

 Oronooco, united by the Rio Negro, that the fabled Golden Lake Parima, and the 

 imaginary city Manoa del Dorado, have long been fought, a fpeculation which has 

 occafioned the death of fo many individuals, and, among others, of Sir Walter Ra- 

 leigh, 



