PEDRENEIRA FALLS. 



293 



cliffs of red clay fifty feet high, breaking down perpendicularly. We 

 oassed the mouth of Abuna river, which is fifty yards wide, and flows in 

 from the southwest. At 3 30 p. m^ thermometer, 86°; water, 82°. In 

 the evening lightning to the southwest. We came to a number of rocky 

 islands m the river, and took up our quarters on one of them for the 

 night. We slept under blankets; there is a heavy dew, and the nights are 

 quite cool. Richards was aroused by a severe pain in his ear ; he was suf- 

 ering all night long. The men told me it was common among the sol- 

 diers at the fort, caused by exposing the ear to night -air and dew. The 

 only remedy reported was " woman's milk," which was not at hand. 



September 26. — For the eighteen miles between the "Arares" rapids 

 and "Pedreneira" falls, we found a current of only one and a half mile 

 per hour, with a depth of sixty feet water. We have observed between 

 all the falls passed, that the current becomes slow, and as there is very 

 little damming up of the water by the falls, that the general inclination 

 could not be great. We also found the land gradually getting higher, 

 as though the river was flowing through a country which sloped against 

 the current. We find at the "Pedreneira" falls the strata perpendicular ; 

 the river does not flow over a flat mass of rock as before, but cuts its 

 way through a vertically grained rock ; so fair and square has the river 

 worn its passage, that the gap resembles a breach in a stone dam. The 

 river turns from its northern course at a right angle, and flows east, in- 

 clining a little south, as though it wanted to turn back and flow into 

 the Madeira Plate again. We suppose this fall to be situated on the top of 

 that ridge of hills and mountains extending across South America from 

 the Andes to Brazil. We are now on the chain which fastens Brazil to 

 the base of the great mountains, and the river is sawing across and cutting 

 it gradually asunder. Part of our baggage was carried over, and our 

 boat towed along the east bank with less difficulty than we expected ; 

 we found a rapid current below. 



On the south bank of the river we saw two bark canoes ; the negroes 

 gave us music on their cow's horns, and two red women appeared on 

 the bank at a path in the thicket ; they belonged to the " Caripuna" 

 tribe. We pointed down the river, and called for " Capitan Tupef 

 they ran away, and we continued to the Paredao falls. A whale boat 

 might pass through the main channel with ease, but our boat was too 

 small to attempt it. The baggage was landed on a sand-beach near 

 the rocks, which were elevated forty feet above the water level. In the 

 rainy season the floods cover them all except ten feet. I climbed up 

 to the top for a view of the country, and to seek a passage for the boat. 

 The men had a short distance to paddle, and then tow her through a nar- 



