34 



WANDERINGS IN SOUTH AMERICA. 



in abruptly, disclosing a new scene behind it at every 

 step as you advance along. 



This beautiful park of nature is quite surrounded by 

 lofty hills, all arrayed in superbest garb of trees ; some 

 in the form of pyramids, others like sugar-loaves, tower- 

 ing one above the other, some rounded off, and others 

 as though they had lost their apex. Here two hills 

 rise up in spiral summits, and the wooded line of com- 

 munication betwixt them sinks so gradually, that it 

 forms a crescent ; and there the ridges of others re- 

 semble the waves of an agitated sea. Beyond these 

 appear others, and others past them ; and others still 

 further on, till they can scarcely be distinguished from 

 the clouds. 



There are no sand-flies, nor bete-rouge, nor mosquitos, 

 in this pretty spot. The fire-flies, during the night, 

 vie in numbers and brightness with the stars in the 

 Armament above ; the air is. pure, and the north-east 

 breeze blows a refreshing gale throughout the day. 

 Here the white-crested maroudi, which is never found 

 in. the Demerara, is pretty plentiful ; and here grows 

 the tree which produces the moran, sometimes called 

 balsam-capivi. 



Your route lies south from this place; and at the 

 extremity of the savanna, you enter the 



Route. ^ , . , *^ . ... 



forest, and journey along a winding path 



at the foot of a hill. There is no habitation within 

 this day's walk. The traveller, as usual, must sleep 

 in the forest ; the path is not so good the follow- 

 ing day. The hills, over which it lies, are rocky, steep, 

 and rugged ; and the spaces betwixt them swampy, and 

 mostly knee-deep in water. After eight hours' walk, 

 you find two or three Indian huts, surrounded by the 



