232 



IJlFURCATIOiN OF THE ORINOCO. 



CD shore. 



Channel of 

 the Orinoca 



ciiAP.xvilI. impossible to remain in the canoe on account of the 

 DifflcdHes mosquitoes and heavy rains. Great difficulty was ex- 

 perienced in finding wood to make a fire, the branches 

 being so full of sap that they would scarcely burn. On 

 shore the pothoscs, arums, and lianas, furnished so thick 

 a covering, that although it rained violently they were 

 completely sheltered. At their last resting-place on the 

 Casiquiare, the jaguars carried off" their great dog while 

 they slept. 



On the 21st May they again entered the channel of 

 the Orinoco, three leagues below the mission of Esme- 

 ralda. Here the scenery wore a very imposing aspect, 

 lofty granitic mountains rising on the northern bank. 

 The celebrated bifurcation of the river takes place in 

 this manner : The stream, issuing from among the 

 mountains, reaches the opening of a valley or depression 

 of the ground which terminates at the Rio Negro, and 

 divides into two branches. The principal branch con- 

 tinues its course toward the west-north-west, turning 

 round the group of the mountains of Parime, while the 

 other flows off southward and joins the Rio Negro. By 

 this latter branch our travellers ascended from the river 

 iust mentioned, and again entered the Orinoco, four 

 weeks after they had left it near the mouth of the 



Guaviare. They had still a voyage 

 perform before reaching Angostura. 



of 863 miles to 



