€h. V. SOUTH AMERICA. 373 



the influx of the river of Chuchunga, the place where 

 the Maranon becomes navigable, and where M. de la 

 Condamine firft embarked on it, he found its breadth 

 to be one hundred and thirty five toifes : and though 

 this was near its beolnnins:, the lead did not reach 

 the bottom at twenty-eight toifes, notwithflianding 

 this founding was made at a great diftance from the 

 middle of the river. 



The iflands formed by the Maranon eaft of the 

 Napo, terminate at the river Coari, where it again re- 

 unites its waters, and flows in one fl:ream : but here 

 its breadth is from one thoufand to twelve hundred 

 toifes, or near half a league : and here the fame in- 

 genious gentleman, after taking all poffible precau- 

 tions againll the current, as he had before at the mouth 

 of the river Ghuchunga, founded ; but found no bot- 

 tom with one hundred and three fathom of line* 

 The river Negro, at the diftance of two leagues from 

 its mouth, meafured twelve hundred toifes in breadth, 

 which being nearly equal to that of the principal 

 river, and fome of thofe we have named, Ucayale, the 

 Madera, and others, were found to be nearly of the 

 fame width. 



About one hundred leagues below the mouth of 

 the river Negro, the fhores of the Maranon begin to 

 approach each other near the efflux of the river 

 Trumbetas, which part is called the Eftrecho de 

 Pauxis, where, as alfo at the pofts of Peru, Curupa 

 and Macapa, along its banks, and on thefe eaft of 

 the rivers ISFegro and Popayos, the Portuguefe have 

 forts. At the Efl:recho de Pauxis, where the breadth, 

 of the river is near nine hundred toifes, the effedt of the 

 tides may be perceived *, though the diftance from the 

 fea-coafts be not lefs than two hundred leagues. This 

 efFc6l confiits in the waters, which, without any change 

 in the diredlion of their courfe, decreafe in their velo- 

 city, and gradually fwell over their banks. The 

 Sux and reflux are conftant every twelve hours, W'ith 



B b 3 the 



