ASCENT OF THE CASIQUIARE. 



231 



over the meridian; but the sky was continually 

 obscured by vapours. On the 10th May they em- 

 barked a little before sunrise to go up the Rio Negro. 

 The morning was fine, but as the heat increased the 

 firmament became darkened. Passing between the 

 islands of Zaruma and Mibita, covered with dense 

 vegetation, and ascending the rapids of the Piedra 

 de Uinumane, they entered the Casiquiare at the 

 distance of 9^ miles from the fort of San Carlos. 

 The rock at the rapids was granite, traversed by 

 numerous veins of quartz several inches broad. The 

 night was spent at the mission of San Francisco 

 Solano, on the left bank of the Casiquiare. The 

 Indians were of two nations, the Pacimonales and 

 Cheruvichahenas ; and from the latter the travellers 

 endeavoured to obtain some information respecting 

 the upper part and sources of the Rio Negro, but 

 without success. In one of the huts of the former 

 tribe they purchased two large birds, a toucan and a 

 macaw, to add to the already considerable stock 

 which they possessed. Most of the animals were 

 confined in small cages, while others ran at liberty 

 all over the boat. At the approach of rain, the 

 macaws uttered frightful screams, the toucan was 

 desirous of gaining the shore in order to fish, and 

 the little monkeys went in search of Father Zea to 

 obtain shelter in his large sleeves. At night the 

 leather case containing their provisions was placed 

 in the centre ; then the instruments and cages ; 

 around which were suspended the hammocks of the 

 travellers ; and beyond them the Indians slept, pro- 

 tected by a circle of fires to keep off the jaguars. 



On the 11th they left the mission of San Francisco 

 Solano at a late hour to make a short day's journey, 

 for the vapours had begun to break up, and the trav- 

 ellers were unwilling to go far from the mouth of 

 the Casiquiare without determining the longitude 

 and latitude. This they had an opportunity of doing 

 at night in the neighbourhood of a solitary granite 



