SOUTH AMERICA. 31 



quarter a mountain. It is far away, and appears JO "J** Y 

 like a bluish cloud in the horizon. There is not ~ 

 the least opening on either side. Hills, vallies, 

 and lowlands, are all linked together by a chain 

 of forest. Ascend the highest mountain, climb 

 the loftiest tree, as far as the eye can extend, 

 whichever way it directs itself, all is luxuriant 

 and unbroken forest. 



In about nine or ten hours from this, you get 

 to an Indian habitation of three huts, on the point 

 of an island. It is said that a Dutch post once 

 stood here. But there is not the smallest vestige 

 of it remaining, and, except that the trees appear 

 younger than those on the other islands, which 

 shows that the place has been cleared some time 

 or other, there is no mark left by which you can 

 conjecture that ever this was a post. 



The many islands which you meet with in islands, 

 the way, enliven and change the scene, by the 

 avenues which they make, which look like the 

 mouths of other rivers, and break that long- 

 extended sameness, which is seen in the Demerara. 



Proceeding onwards, you get to the falls and Fails and 

 rapids. In the rainy season they are very tedious rapl ' 

 to pass, and often stop your course. In the dry 

 season, by stepping from rock to rock, the Indians 

 soon manage to get a canoe over them. But when 

 the river is swollen, as it was in May, 1812, it is 

 then a difficult task, and often a dangerous one 

 too. At that time many of the islands were over- 



