FIFTEEN HUNDRED MILES ON THE ORINOCO 159 



one slain a member of their own family would be carried 

 away by one of the huge spotted cats. 



The country on the Colombian side, from below Atures 

 onward, is level llano, covered with a good growth of grass, 

 and with an abundance of water. Some day, no doubt, 

 and in the near futiu-e, numerous herds of cattle will graze 

 in the rich pasturage awaiting them, and another source 

 will be added to the world's limited supply of meat. A 

 fringe of trees grows along the river; among them are the 

 valuable "cachicamo" and "cedro," the trunks of which 

 are frequently fashioned into canoes by the natives. 



The Vichada, at this season, had dwindled down imtil at 

 its mouth it was not more than a hundred yards wide. We 

 could see a range of hills far to the west, dimly outlined 

 against the sky and finally fading into obscurity in the 

 haze; in this direction the river has its origin. Several 

 Piaroa families had settled near the junction of the two 

 rivers and built a large hut of palm-leaves and grass. The 

 men lounged in their hammocks all day long, drinking rum 

 and fighting the clouds of sand-flies which feasted on their 

 half-naked bodies; at night they crossed to one of the nu- 

 merous sand-banks and collected basketsful of turtle eggs 

 and also as many turtles as their canoes would hold. Some 

 of their canoes were mere shells, so small that we could 

 never learn how to negotiate them; no matter how quietly 

 we sat they upset as soon as pushed out into the current, 

 but an Indian or even two would calmly squat down in 

 the bottom, take up their paddles, and glide away without 

 the least concern. 



The women were making cassava bread; after the tubers 

 (Manihot utilissima) are groimd and the juice has been 

 extracted a thin layer of the coarse meal is spread on the 

 bottom of a shallow pan about three feet in diameter; the 

 heat causes the particles to adhere, forming a tough, round 

 wafer which can be turned without breaking; it is thoroughly 

 baked on both sides. When cold it hardens, and the huge 

 slabs are then done up in bundles of twenty to forty each, 



