RIVERS. 299 



that it would have been upset by any one rising imprudently from his seat, without 

 warning the rowers to preserve its balance by leaning to the opposite side. We had 

 suffered severely from the stings of insects, but had withstood the insalubrity of the 

 climate ; we had passed without accident the numerous falls and bars that impede the 

 navigation of-the rivers, and often render it more dangerous than long voyages by sea. 

 After all we had endured, I may be allowed to mention the satisfaction which we felt in 

 having reached the tributaries of the Amazon." The Rio Negro, which flows into that river, 

 was navigated downwards as far as San Carlos, then supposed to lie under the equator, 

 but actually about 2 N. From thence the travellers retraced the river, passed from it 

 into the Cassiquiare, and again entered the main channel of the Orinoco, three leagues 

 below the mission of Esmeralda ; thus demonstrating a junction between the two great 

 floods of the Amazon and Orinoco, which had been, in the year 1798, declared by Bauche 

 to be a geographical monstrosity. The bifurcation of the Orinoco takes place in the fol- 

 lowing manner : The river, issuing from among the mountains, reaches the opening of 

 a valley or depression which terminates at the Rio Negro. Here it divides into two 

 branches, the smaller, or the Cassiquiare, turning off to the south, while the main stream 

 continues its original direction west-north-west. A reference to Humboldt's map, of 

 which we give a translated copy, will render further explanation unnecessary. 



The preceding notices refer to what have been appropriately styled the " might rivers," 

 and the " great rivers," none of which are to be found in Europe. Its noblest running 

 waters belong to a third grade. " These," says Inglis, " I would designate the large 

 rivers ; for great and large are not entirely synonymous ; and, to most minds, the term 

 great river and large river, will present a distinct image. The lower we descend in the 

 scale, the more numerous do we find the species. The continent of Europe abounds with 

 examples of the third class such as the Rhine, the Danube, the Rhone, the Elbe, the 

 Tagus, the Ebro, and the Guadalquivir. The fourth class is still more numerous ; and 

 of this class, which I would call considerable rivers, we may find examples at home. 

 Father Thames takes the lead ; and the Severn, and perhaps the Trent, the Clyde, the 

 Tweed, the Tyne, and the Tay, may be entitled to the same distinction. On the Continent, 

 it would be easy to name a hundred such ; let me content myself with naming the Loire, 

 the Meuse, the Soane, the Garonne, the Adige, and the Maine. Fifthly, come the small 

 rivers. Multitudinous they are ; but as examples, I may name the Wye, the Dart, the 

 Derwent, the Dee, the Aire, the Spey, the Ex, and a thousand such ; while on the conti- 

 nent, of the same class, may be mentioned the Gare, the Seine, the Reass, or the Sombre. 

 The word river can no longer be employed, for now come the family of streams name- 

 less, except to those who live upon their banks : the rivulets follow ; and, lastly, we 

 close the enumeration with rills." The small rivers, with the streams subordinate to 

 them, are especially rife in countries where there is the vicinage of the sea, and high ele- 

 vations on the land. This renders them so abundant in such districts as the Greek pen- 

 insula. There, Alpine tracts of territory collect from the atmosphere the vapours of the 

 contiguous sea, arrest the castellated glories of cloud-land, and awaken in the valleys and 

 plains the refreshing music of the voice " of many waters." The commerce of kingdoms 

 distinguishes not the rivers of this classic soil, but they are familiar with the charms of 

 nature, add effect to the sublime and wild in its scenery, and clothe with heightened 

 grace the soft and pastoral. Following the course of the Angitas up to its source, we 

 come to one of the most picturesque sites in Macedonia, supposed to be the nymphasum 

 or grotto of Onocaris. Blocks of marble, rudely piled, as if tossed together by an earth- 

 quake, obstruct its entrance, which can only be passed in a crawling posture ; but these 

 difficulties being overcome, a cave like a temple appears, from the farther end of which 

 runs the limpid stream, flowing silently over a sand bed, but rippling when it escapes 



