WANDERINGS IN SOUTH AMERICA. 89 



the boughs of others bend witli a profusion of seeds and 

 fruits. 



Those whose heads have been bared by time, or blasted 

 by the thunder-storm, strike the eye, as a mournful sound 

 does the ear in music ; and seem to beckon to the senti- 

 mental traveller to stop a moment or two, and see that the 

 forests which surround him, like men and kingdoms, have 

 their periods of misfortune and decay. 



The first rocks of any considerable size that are ob- 

 served on the side of the river are at a place called Saba, 

 from the Indian word, which means a stone. They appear 

 sloping down to the water's edge, not shelvy, but smooth, 

 and their exuberances rounded off, and, in some places, 

 deeply furrowed, as though they had been worn with 

 continual floods of water. 



There are patches of soil up and down, and the huge 

 stones amongst them produce a pleasing and novel effect. 

 You see a few Coffee-trees of a fine luxuriant growth ; and 

 nearly on the top of Saba stands the house of the post- 

 holder. 



He is appointed by government to give in liis report to 

 the protector of the Indians of what is going on amongst 

 them, and to prevent suspicious people fiom passing up 

 the river. 



When the Indians assemble here the stranger may have 

 an opportunity of seeing the Aborigines dancing to the 

 sound of their country music, and painted in their native 

 style. They will shoot their arrows for him with an un- 

 erring aim, and send the poisoned dart from the blow-pipe 

 true to its destination ; and here he may often view all 

 the different shades, from the red savage to the white man, 

 and from the white man to the sootiest son of Africa. 



Beyond this post there are no more habitations of white 

 men, or free people of colour. 



