218 SCENERY OF THE UPPER ORINOCO. 



CHAP.Xviii. of tlie cataracts, which Humholdt attributes to the 

 Perpluial windings of the rivers, the shelter of mountains, and the 

 c»ilm- almost incessant rains. In the valley of the Amazon, 



on the contrary, a strong breeze rises every day at two 

 in the afternoon, which, however, is felt only along the 

 line of the current. It always moves against the stream, 

 and bv means of it a boat may go up the Amazon under 

 sail a length of 2590 miles. The great salubrity of this 

 district is probably owing to the gale. They passed the 

 moutiis of several streams, and admired the grandeur of 

 the cerros of Sipapo, a branch of-the cordillera of Parime, 

 tile aspect of which varied every hour of the day. At 

 sunrise, the dense vegetation with which they are 

 covered was tinged with a dark-green inclining to brown, 

 while broad and deep shadows were projected over the 

 neigh])Ouring plain, forming a strong contrast with the 

 vivid light diffused around. Toward noon the shadows 

 disappeared, and the whole group was veiled in an azure 

 vapour, which softened the outlines of the rocks, mode- 

 rated the effects of light, and gave the landscape an 

 Mouth of tiie aspect of calmness and repose. Landing at the mouth 

 Wo Vichada. q^- ^j,g j^j^ Vichada to examine the vegetation, they 

 found numberless small granitic rocks rising from the 

 plain, and presenting the appearance of prisms, ruined 

 columns, and towers. The forest was thin, and at the 

 confluence of the two rivers, the rocks and even the soil 

 were covered with mosses and lichens. M. Bonpland 

 found several specimens of Laurus cinnamomoides, a 

 Cinnamon very aromatic species of cinnamon, which, together 

 '"l" """"'•'fe' with the American nutmeg, the pimento, and Laurus 

 pucheri, Humboldt remarks, would have become import- 

 ant objects of trade, had not Europe, at the i>eriod when 

 the New World was discovered, been already accustomed 

 to tlie spices of India. The travellers rested at night on 

 tile bank of the Orinoco, at the mouth of the Zama. 

 This river is one of those which are said to have Ijlack 

 water, as it appears of a dark-brown or greenish-black ; 

 and here they entered the system of rivers to which the 



