15 



the east of the Oroonoko, between the neigh- 

 bouring sources of the Caura, Cataniapo, and 

 Ventuari, live the Macoes, the Salivas, the 

 Curacicanas, Parecas, and Maquiritares, mild, 

 tranquil tribes, addicted to agriculture, and 

 easily subjected to the discipline of the missions. 

 The Indian of the plains differs from the Indian 

 of the forests in language as well as manners 

 and mental disposition ; both have an idiom 

 that abounds in spirited and bold terms ; but 

 the language of the former is harsher, more con- 

 cise, and more impassioned ; that of the latter, 

 softer, more diffuse, and fuller of ambiguous 

 expressions. 



The mission of Atures, like most of the 

 missions of the Oroonoko, situate between the 

 mouths of the Apure and the Atabapo, is com- 

 posed of both the classes of tribes we have just 

 described. We there find the Indians of the 

 forests, and the Indians heretofore nomade* (In- 

 dios monteros and Indios llaneros, or andantes). 

 We visited with the missionary the huts of Ma- 

 coes, whom the Spaniards call Piraoas, and 

 those of the Guahiboes. The first indicated 



* I employ the word nomade as synonimous to wandering, 

 and not in it's primitive signification. The wandering nations 

 of America (those of the indigenous tribes it is to be under- 

 stood) are never shepherds ; they live by fishing and hunting 

 on the fruit of a few trees, the farinaceous medullary sub- 

 stance of palm-trees, &c. 



