264 



THE CODAJASH. 



January I, 1852. — At 9 a. m. we had the easterly breeze so strong 

 that we were compelled to keep close in shore to avoid the sea raised 

 by it. Our heavy flat-bottomed boat rolls nearly gunwales under. 

 Some of the Indians look alarmed, and Tomas, a servant whom we 

 brought from Caballo-cocha, is frightened from all propriety. He 

 shouts to the men to make for the land; and, seizing a paddle, makes 

 one or two vigorous strokes ; but fear takes away his strength, and he 

 stretches himself on his face and yields to what appears his inevitable 

 destiny. Ijurra is much scandalized at his cowardice, and asks him 

 what he would do if he got upon the sea. 



At 12 m. we passed another mouth of the Purus. These mouths 

 can only be navigated at high water, and in small canoes. At half-past 

 four we passed the mouth of the Codajash. We were on the opposite 

 side of the river, and had nearly passed before I was aware of it. Smyth 

 places the islands of Coro and Onqa above it. They are really below. 

 The mouth appeared a quarter of a mile wide ; but I was afterwards told 

 that this was not the largest mouth, and that the true mouth lay oppo- 

 site to the island of Coro. I learned, from some persons who were en- 

 gaged in salting fish upon a small sand island just below this mouth, (one 

 of whom had visited it,) that it is an arm of the river communicating 

 with a large lake abounding with fish, vaca marina, and turtle; and had 

 growing on its shores many resins and oils, particularly the copaiba. It 

 requires three days to ascend the arm of the river to the lake, and two 

 more to reach the head of the lake, which is fed by small streams that 

 are said to communicate with the Japura, on one hand, and the Rio 

 Negro, on the other. 



The Amazon, at this little island, commenced falling day before yes- 

 terday. A boat which arrived at Egas from Tabatinga the day before 

 we left there reported that the river had commenced falling at Taba- 

 tinga on the twentieth of December. This is probably the fall due to 

 the " Verano del Nino" of the Cordillera, and will only last a week or 

 ten days, when the river will again commence to swell. 



At seven we stopped at a factoria on Coro island, where the party 

 who were working it had made one thousand pots of manteiga, and 

 were about starting for below. Camped on the beach on right bank 

 at half-past lip. m. 



January 2. — The usual fresh easterly wind commenced at nine. 

 The only time to make progress is at night; during the day the breeze 

 is so fresh, and the sea so high, that very little is made. The wind 

 usually subsides about 4 or 5 p. m., and concludes with a squall of 

 wind and rain ; leaving heavy-looking thunder-clouds in the southward 



