198 A VOYAGE TO Book V. 



well covered, that the rain, which came on very vio* 

 lently, did not penetrate them 



The thermometer at Caluma, on the i6th at fix in 

 the morning, was at 1016 and we were ourfelves fenfi- 

 ble that the air began to grow cool. At half an 

 hour after eight in the morning we began our jour- 

 ney, and at noon pafTed by a place called Mamarumi, 

 or mother of ftone, where there is an inconceivably 

 beautiful cafcade. The rock, from which the water 

 precipitates itfelf, is nearly perpendicular, and fifty 

 toifes in height, and on both fides bordered with lofty 

 and fpreading trees. The clearnefs of the water daz- 

 ^zles the fight, which is, however, charmed with its 

 luftre, as it falls from the precipice ; after which it 

 continues its courfe in a bed along a fmall defcent,. 

 and is crofied by the road. Thefe cataradls are by 

 the Indians called Paccha, and by the Spaniards of 

 the country Chorrera, From hence we continued 

 our journey and after crofling the river twice on 

 bridges, but with equal danger as in fording it, we 

 arrived at two in the evening at a place called Tari- 

 gagua, where we refted in a large fi:ru61:ure of timber, 

 covered with vijahua leaves, built for our reception. 

 Indeed we were no lefs fatigued with this day's journey, 

 than with any of the preceding ; fome parts of it 

 being over dreadful precipices, and the road in others 

 fo narrow, as hardly to afibrd a paflage for the mules, 

 that it was impoffible to avoid frequently fi:riking 

 ao-ainil" the trees and rocks ; few of us therefore reach- 

 ed Tarigagua, without feveral bruifes. 



It muft not be thought fl:range that I fliouM fay 

 the bridges are equally dangerous with the fords ; for 

 thefe firudtures, ajl of wood, and very long, fi^ake in 

 pafiing them ; bendes, their breadth is not above three 



* The natives, when they travel, ered new huts every night in 

 (his manner, except they have the conveniency of tying their ham- 

 niocks up in trees^ by which means- they fave the trouble of a 

 vvatch and fire all night to keep oiF the wild beafts^ A. 



feet^. 



