ie el 
= ne 
>» _—— <? 
SO eno amie ini a aaa AE eg 
”- 
982 CATARACTS OF ATURES. 
‘Similar caves are said to exist to the north of the 
cataracts; but the tombs of the Indians of the Ori- 
noco have not been sufficiently examined, because 
they do not, like those of Peru, contain treasures. 
The travellers staid at the mission of Atures only 
so long as was necessary for the passage of their ca- 
noe through the great falls. The priest, Bernardo 
Zea, who had accompanied them to the Rio Negro, 
remained behind. His ague had not been removed; 
but its attacks had become an habitual evil, to which 
he now paid little attention. Fevers of a more de- 
structive kind prevailed in the establishment, in- 
somuch that the greater part of the inmates were 
confined to their hammocks. Again embarked on 
the Orinoco the travellers ventured to descend the 
lower half of the rapids of Atures, landing here and 
there to climb the rocks, among which the golden 
manakin (Pipra rupicola), one of the most beau- 
tiful birds of the tropics, builds its nest. At the 
Raudalito of Carucari, they entered some of the 
caverns formed by the piling up of granite blocks, 
and enjoyed the extraordinary spectacle of the river 
dashing in a sheet of foam over their heads. The 
boat was to coast the eastern bank of a narrow 
island, and take them in after a long circuit; but 
it did not make its appearance, and night approach- 
ing, together with a tremendous thunder-storm, 
M. Bonpland was desirous of swimming across, 
in order to seek assistance at Atures from Father 
Zea. Humboldt and the other person who was 
with them dissuaded him with difficulty from 
so hazardous an enterprise; and shortly after 
two large crocodiles made their appearance, at- 
tracted by the plaintive cries of the monkeys. At 
