BRANCHES OF TUB OTIIXOCO. 17 



taca and the Cuyuni ; it is a prolongation of the Cordilleras 

 of Parima, which, bounding the horizon south of Angostura, 

 forms the celebrated cataracts of the Eio Caroni, and ap- 

 proaches the Orinoco like a projecting cape near the little 

 fort of Tieja G-uyana. The populous missions of the Ca- 

 ribbee and Guiana Indians, governed by the Catalonian Capu- 

 chins, lie near the sources ot the Imataca and the Aquire. 

 The easternmost of these missions are those of Miamu, Ca- 

 inaimi. and Palmar, situate in a hilly country, which extends 

 rdfl Tupuqueu, Santa Maria, and the Villa de Upata. 

 _,' up the Eio Aquire, and directing your course across 

 the pastures towards the south, you reach the mission of 

 IMem de Tumeremo, and thence the confluence of the Cu- 

 rumu with the Eio Cuyuni, where the Spanish post or desta- 

 camento de Cinjuni was formerly established. I enter into 

 tins topographical detail, because the Eio Cuyuni, or Cudu- 

 vini, runs parallel to the Orinoco from west to east, through 

 an extent of 2*5 or 3 of longitude,* and furnishes an excel- 

 lent natural boundary between the territory of Caracas and 

 that of English Guiana. 



The two great branches of the Orinoco, the Zacupana and 

 the Imataca, remain separate for fourteen leagues : on going 

 up lartlier, the waters of the river are found unitedf in a 

 single channel extremely broad. This channel is near eight 

 leagues long ; at its western extremity a second bifurcation 

 appears ; and as the summit of the delta is in the northern 

 branch of the bifurcated river, this part of the Orinoco is 

 highly important for the military defence of the country. 

 All the channels J that terminate in the bocas chicas, rise from 

 the same point of the trunk of the Orinoco. The branch 

 (Cano Manamo) that separates from it near the village of 

 San Ivalael has no ramification till after a course of three or 

 lour leagues ; and by placing a small fort above the island 



* Including the Rio Juruam, one of i he principal branches of the 

 Cuyuni. The Dutch military post is five leagues west of the union of 

 Cuyuni with the Essequibo, where the former river receives the Mazuruni. 



f At this point of union are found two villages of Guaraons. Tlu-y 

 also bear the names of Imataca and Zacupana. 



J Cano de Manamo grande, C. de Manamo chico, C. Pedernales, 

 C. Macareo, C. Cutnpiti, C. Macvona, C. grande de Mariuxas, &c. The 

 last three branches form by their union the sinuous channel called the 

 Vuelta del Tomo. 



VOL. III. C 



