236 



DUIDA MOUNTAIN. 



Summit of 

 llic Uuidii. 



r>warf 

 Iiidiun 



CHAP. XIX compel him to choose her whom he prefers and to 

 — dismiss tlie others. 



The summit of Duida is so steep that no person has 

 ever ascended it. At the beginning and end of the 

 rainy season, small flames, which appear to shift, are 

 seen upon it. On this account the mountain has been 

 called a volcano, which, however, it is not. The granite 

 whereof it is composed is full of veins, some of which 

 being partly open, gaseous and inflammable vapours 

 may pass through them ; for it is not probable that the 

 flames are caused Ity lightning, the humidity of the 

 climate being such that plants do not readily take fire. 



The travellers had an opportunity of seeing at Esme- 

 ralda some of the dwarf and fair Indians, that ancient 

 traditions had mentioned as living near the sources of 

 the Orinoco. The Guaicas, or diminutive class, whom 

 they measured, were in general from 4 feet 10^ to 4 

 feet 1 1 i^ inches in height ; and it was said that the 

 whole tribe was of the same stature. The Guahariboes, 

 or fair variety, were similar to the others in form 

 and features, and differed only in having the skin of a 

 lighter tint. 



^ ^ On the 23d May the travellers left the mission of 



departure i i - r- 1 i i i i_ 



from Esmer- ii.smeralda m a state of languor and weakness caused by 



'^^'^•^ the torment of insects, bad nourishment, and a long 



voyage performed in a narrow and damp boat. They 



had not attempted to ascend the Orinoco towards its 



sources, as the country above that station was inhabited 



by liostile Indians ; so that of the two geographical 



problems connected with the river, — the position of its 



sources and the nature of its communication with the 



Rio Negro, — tliey had been obliged to content themselves 



with the solution of the latter. When they embarked 



they were surrounded by tlie mulattoes and others who 



considered themselves Spaniards, and who entreated 



them to solicit from the governor of Angostura their 



return to the Llanos, or at least their removal to the 



missions of the Rio Negro. Humboldt pleaded the 



cause of these proscribed men at a subsequent period * 



