CATARACTS OF THE ORINOCO. 229 



The farther part of the valley is densely wooded, and it is 

 in this shady portion that the cave of Ataruipe is situated. 

 It is not properly speaking a cave, but rather a vaulted roof 

 formed by a far over-hanging cliff, the cavity having appa- 

 rently been formed by the waters when at their ancient level. 

 This place is the vault or cemetery of an extinct nation. ( u ) 

 "We counted about 600 well-preserved skeletons placed in 

 as many baskets woven from the stalks of palm leaves. 

 These baskets, which the Indians call " umpires/' are shaped 

 like square sacks, differing in size according to the age of 

 the deceased. Even new-born children had each its own 

 mapire. The skeletons are so perfect that not a bone or a 

 joint is wanting. 



The bones had been prepared in three different ways; 

 some bleached, some coloured red with onoto, the pigment 

 of the Bixa Orellana; and some like mummies closely 

 enveloped in sweet-smelling resin and plantain leaves. 



The Indians assured us that the custom had been to bury 

 the fresh corpses for some months in damp earth, which 

 gradually consumed the flesh ; they were then dug up, and 

 any remaining flesh scraped away with sharp stones. This 

 the Indians said was still the practice of several tribes in 

 Guiana. Besides the mapires or baskets we found urns of 

 half burnt clay which appeared to contain the bones of 

 entire families. The larger of these urns were about three 

 feet high and nearly six feet long, of a pleasing oval form 

 and greenish colour, having handles shaped like snakes arid 

 crocodiles, and meandering or labyrinthine ornaments round 

 the upper margin. These ornaments are quite similar to 



