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254 SCENERY OF THE UPPER ORINOCO. 
which they are covered was tinged with a dark- 
green inclining to brown, while broad and deep 
shadows were projected over the neighbouring plain, 
forming a strong contrast with the vivid light diffused 
around. ‘Toward noon the shadows disappeared, 
and the whole group was veiled in an azure vapour, 
which softened the outlines of the rocks, moderated 
the effects of light, and gave the landscape an aspect 
of calmness and repose. Landing at the mouth of 
the Rio Vichada to examine the vegetation, they 
found numberless small granitic rocks rising from 
the plain, and presenting the appearance of prisms, 
ruined columns, and towers. ‘The forest was thin, 
and at the confluence of the two rivers, the rocks 
and even the soil were covered with mosses and 
lichens. M. Bonpland found several specimens of 
Laurus cinnamomoides, a very aromatic species of 
cinnamon, which, together with the American nut- 
meg, the pimento, and Laurus puchert, Humboldt 
remarks, would have become important objects of 
trade, had not Europe, at the period when the New 
World was discovered, been already accustomed to 
the spices of India. The travellers rested at night on 
the bank of the Orinoco, at the mouth of the Zama. 
This river is one of those which are said to have black 
water, as it appears of a dark-brown or greenish- 
black ; and here they entered the system of rivers 
to which the name of Aguas Negras is given. The 
colour is supposed to be owing to a solution of ve- 
getable matter, and the Indians attribute it to the 
roots of sarsaparilla. 
At five in the morning of the 23d they continued 
their voyage, and passed the mouth of the Rio Ma- 
taveni. ‘The banks were still skirted by forests, but __ 
