230 CATARACTS THE ORINOCO. 



those which cover the walls of the Mexican Palace at 

 Mitla. They are found in all countries and climates, and 

 in the most different stages of human cultivation, among 

 the Greeks and Romans, as well as on the shields of the na- 

 tives of Tahiti and other islands of the South Sea, wherever 

 the eye is gratified by the rhythmical recurrence of regular 

 forms. These similarities, as I have elsewhere remarked in 

 more detail, are rather to be ascribed to psychological 

 causes, or to such as belong inherently to our mental con- 

 stitution, than to be viewed as evidences of kindred descent 

 or ancient intercourse between different nations. 



Our interpreters could give us no certain information as 

 to the age of these vessels ; that of the skeletons appeared 

 for the most part not to exceed a century. It is reported 

 among the Guareca Indians, that the brave Atures, being 

 pressed upon by cannibal Caribs, withdrew to the rocks of 

 the Cataracts ; a melancholy refuge and dwelling-place, in 

 which the distressed tribe finally perished, and with them 

 their language. In the most inaccessible parts of the 

 Raudal there are cavities and recesses which have served like 

 the cave of Ataruipe as burying-places. It is even probable 

 that the last family of the Atures may not have been long 

 deceased, for (a singular fact,) there is still in Maypures an 

 old parrot of whom the natives affirm that he is not under- 

 stood because he speaks the Ature language'. 



We left the cave at nightfall, after having collected, to 

 the great displeasure of our Indian guides, several skulls and 

 the entire skeleton of a man. One of these skulls has been 

 figured by Blumenbach in his excellent craniological work, 



