220 SAN FERNANDO DE ATABIPO. 



multitudes of bats issued from the crevices, and 

 hovered around their hammocks. Next day a violent 

 rain obliged them to set out at a very early hour. 

 In the afternoon they landed at the Indian planta- 

 tions of San Fernando, and after midnight arrived at 

 the mission, where they were received with the kind- 

 est hospitality. 



The village of San Fernando de Atabipo is situated 

 near the confluence of the Orinoco, the Atabipo, and 

 the Guaviare ; the latter of which Humboldt thinks 

 migh^ with more propriety be considered the con- 

 tinusfflon of the Orinoco than a branch. The num- 

 ber of inhabitants did not exceed 226. The mission- 

 ary had the title of president of the stations on the 

 Orinoco, and superintended the twenty-six ecclesias- 

 tics settled on its banks, as well as on those of the 

 Rio Negro, Casiquiare, Atabipo, and Caura. The 

 Indians were a little more civilized than the inmates 

 of the other establishments, and cultivated cacao in 

 small quantities, together with cassava and plantains. 

 They were surrounded with good pasturage, but not 

 more than seven or eight cows were to be seen. 

 The most striking object in the neighbourhood was 

 the pirijao palm, which has a thorny trunk more than 

 sixty-four feet high, pinnated leaves, and clusters of 

 fruits two or three inches in diameter, and of a pur- 

 ple colour. The fruit furnishes a farinaceous sub- 

 stance, of a colour resembling that of the yelk of an 

 egg, which when boiled or roasted affords a very 

 wholesome and agreeable aliment. 



On entering the Rio Atabipo the travellers found 

 a great change in the scenery, the colour of the 

 stream, and the constitution of the atmosphere. The 

 trees were of a different species ; the mosquitoes had 

 entirely disappeared, and the waters, instead of being 

 turbid, and loaded with earthy matter, were of a 

 dark colour, clear, agreeable to the taste, and two 

 degrees cooler. So great is their transparency, that 

 the smallest fishes are distinguishable at the depth 



