1852.] 



NUMEROUS CATARACTS. 



239 



caxoeira, were so full of parallel veins, as to give them the 

 appearance of being stratified and thrown up nearly vertically ; 

 whereas they are granitic, and similar to those we had already 

 seen. We then soon reached the " Ird " (Honey) and 

 " Baccaba " (a Palm) caxoeiras ; at both of which there are 

 figures or picture-writings on the rocks, which I stayed to 

 sketch. In passing the latter rapid, we knocked off one of 

 the false keels I had had put to the canoe previous to starting, 

 to preserve the bottom in the centre, where it was worn very 

 thin by being dragged over the rocks by its former owner. 

 We therefore stopped at a sandbank, unloaded the canoe, 

 and plugged up the nail-holes, which were letting in water very 

 fast. 



The next day we passed in succession the "Arara Miri" 

 (Little Macaw), "Tamaquerie" (Gecko), "Paroquet," " Japoo" 

 (a bird), "Arara" (Macaw), " Tatii " (Armadillo), "Amana" 

 (Rain), " Camoa " (?), " Yauti " (Tortoise) ; and, finally, about 

 three p.m., arrived at "Caruru " (a water-plant) caxoeira. The 

 last five of these, before arriving at Caruru, were exceedingly 

 bad ; the passage being generally in the middle of the river, 

 among rocks, where the water rushes furiously. The falls 

 were not more than three or four feet each ; but, to pull a 

 loaded canoe up these, against the foaming waters of a large 

 river, was a matter of the greatest difficulty for my dozen 

 Indians, their only resting-place being often breast-deep in 

 water, where it was a matter of wonder that they could stand 

 against the current, much less exert any force to pull the 

 canoe. At Arara fall, the usual passage is over the dry rock, 

 and we unloaded for that purpose ; but all the efforts of the 

 Indians could not get the heavy canoe up the steep and rugged 

 ascent which was the only pathway. Again and again they 

 exerted themselves, but to no purpose ; and I was just sending 

 by an old man, who was passing in a small canoe, to Caruru 

 for assistance, when he suggested that by getting a long sipo 

 (the general cable in these rivers) we might obtain, a good 

 purchase, to pull the canoe up the margin of the fall, which 

 we had previously tried without success. We accordingly did 

 so, and by great exertions the difficulty was passed, — much to 

 my satisfaction, as sending to Caruru would have occasioned 

 a great and very annoying delay. 



The river from Jauarite may be said to average about a 



16 



