SOUTH AMERICA. 21 

 A few miles before you reach the great fall, and which, First 



JoURNKY. 



indeed, is the only one which can be called a fall, large 



The great 



balls of froth come floating past you. The river appears f^iH- 

 beautifully marked with streaks of foam, and on your 

 nearer approach the stream is whitened all over. 



At first, you behold the fall rushing down a bed of 

 rocks, with a tremendous noise, divided into two foamy 

 streams, which, at their junction again, form a small 

 island covered with wood. Above this island, for a short 

 space, there appears but one stream, all white with froth, 

 and fretting and boiling amongst the huge rocks which 

 obstruct its course. 



Higher up it is seen dividing itself into a short channel 

 or two, and trees grow on the rocks which caused its 

 separation. The torrent, in many places, has eaten deep 

 into the rocks, and split them into large fragments, by 

 driving others against them. The trees on the rocks are 

 in bloom and vigour, though their roots are half bared, 

 and many of them bruised and broken by the rushing 

 waters. 



This is the general appearance of the fall from the 

 level of the water below, to where the river is smooth and 

 quiet above. It must be remembered, that this is during 

 the periodical rains. Probably, in the dry season, it puts 

 on a very different appearance. There is no perpendi- 

 cular fall of water of any consequence throughout it, but 

 the dreadful roaring and rushing of the torrent, down a 



