OF THE AMAZON. 227 



monkeys of numerous species, traverse the forest witliout CIIAP.XVIII 

 fear and without danger, residing there as in an ancient Jr^^J^ — 

 heritage. On the ocean and on the sands of Africa, we of wiw 

 with difficulty reconcile ourselves to the disapj^earance '""^''^ 

 of man ; but here his absence, in a fertile country 

 clothed with perpetual verdure, produces a strange and 

 melanclioly feeling." 



The Rio Negro, which flows eastward into the Amazon, importance 

 was for ages considered of great political importance by «/ ii'« li'" 

 the Spanish government, as it would have furnished to 

 the Portuguese an easy introduction into the missions of 

 Guiana. The jealousies of these rival nations, the 

 ignorance and diversified languages of the Indians, the 

 difficulty of penetrating into these inland regions, and 

 other causes, rendered the knowledge of the sources, 

 as well as the tributaries of the Negro and Orinoco, 

 extremely defective. To endeavour to throw some light 

 on this geographical point, and in particular to determine 

 the course of that branch of the Orinoco which joins the Object of 

 Rio Negro, was the great object of Humboldt's journey. Humboidfs 

 This last, or Black River, is so named on account of the 

 dark colour of its waters, wliich are of an amber hue 

 wherever it is shallow, and dark-brown wherever the 

 depth is great. After entering it by the Pimichin, and 

 passing the rapid at the confluence of the two streams, 

 the travellers soon reached the mission of Maroa, con- 

 taining 150 Indians, where they purchased some fine 

 toucans. Passing the station of Tomo they visited that 

 of Davipe, where they were received by the missionary pavipe 

 with great hospitality. Here they bought some fowls station, 

 and a pig, which interested their servants so much that 

 they pressed them to depart, in order to reach the island 

 of Dapa where the animal might be roasted. They 

 arrived at sunset, and found some cultivated ground and 

 an Indian hut. Four natives were seated round a fire 

 eating a kind of paste, consisting of large ants, of which 

 several bags were suspended over the fire. There were 

 more than fourteen persons in this small cabin, lying 

 naked in the hammocks placed above each other. They 







