BANKS AND CURRENTS. 



209 



laughter. The crew desire a ring-tailed monkey for breakfast. Their 

 bows and arrows lay on the roof of the cabin, but they prefer to see one 

 fall by a shot from our gun. 



The captain suddenly called to the men, and they all shouted. Look- 

 ing down the river, we discovered two canoes well peopled, working 

 manfully against the current close along the bank. Canoes going down 

 keep in mid-channel, where the current is most rapid. These canoes 

 were from Trinidad on their way to Vinchuta, with orders from the 

 prefect of the department to report themselves to me for service in the 

 expedition as soon as they landed their cargo of cacao, sugar, and 

 passengers. 



A basket of fine oranges was passed on board of us, the compliment 

 being returned in biscuit. Our captain received news of some men he 

 had left on the banks of the river with small-pox. 



We pushed on by islands in the stream. Though the river is flooded, 

 there is little or no drift-wood. Along the beach large trees have been 

 left as the rain-belt passed north. These trees lay on the inner side of 

 the turns in the stream. That side is a flat sand-beach, while the long 

 or outer side of the turn breaks down perpendicularly. The current of 

 the river strikes the bank ; the drift-wood beats against the alluvial soil ; 

 undermines the forest trees; the roots are washed clean, and the tops 

 fall down into the river ; their branches sink ; the heavy green leaves go 

 to the bottom loaded with mud ; become entangled or anchored. Drift- 

 wood and rubbish collect about them ; and while an island is built up 

 on the small frame- work of one single log of wood, the bank gives way 

 for the river to pass on. 



The turns in this stream are very short. We are at one time heading 

 northeast, then northwest, and often southwest, when we turn round 

 northeast again. The distance between the upper and lower turns, in 

 a north direction, is constantly decreasing ; for the perpendicular bank 

 on the upper turn is being dug away towards the north, and the same 

 bank on the lower turn is caving in on the south side. When the work 

 is done, the upper wafers flow straight through to the lower ; and as 

 the river grows older, like a well-drilled soldier, it straightens. 



The southwest turn is deserted by the waters, and the bed of the 

 river lies uncovered, and becomes a proof to us that, while rivers travel,, 

 they do not always sleep on the same side of their bed, but shift from 

 one to the other, as suits their convenience. The speed of the current 

 of the river, after it has straightened itself through the land, instead of 

 winding down," as the llama descends the side of a mountain, appears to 

 us the same. That the older the river grows the more rapid the current 

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