417 



His amiable disposition and gay temper often 

 contributed to make us forget the sufferings of 

 a voyage, that was not wholly exempt from dan- 

 ger. We passed the mouth of the Apurito, and 

 coasted the island of tne same name, formed by 

 the Apure and the Guarico. This island is in 

 fact only a very low spot of ground, bordered by 

 two great rivers, both of which at a little dis- 

 tance from each other fall into the Oroonoko, 

 after having formed a junction below San Fer- 

 nando by the first bifurcation of the Apure. 

 Ulsla del Apurito is twenty-two leagues in 

 length, and two or three leagues in breadth. It 

 is divided by the Cano de la Tigrera, and the 

 Cano del Manati, into three parts ; the two ex- 

 tremes of which bear the names of Isla de Blanco, 

 and Isla de los Garzitas. I enter into these par- 

 ticulars, because all the maps hitherto published 

 disfigure in the strongest manner the course and 

 branches of the rivers between the Guarico and 

 the Meta. The right bank of the Apure, below 

 the Apurito, is somewhat better cultivated than 

 the left bank, where the Yaruroes (or Japuin 

 Indians) have constructed a few huts with reeds 

 I and stalks of palm-leaves. They live by hunt- 

 ing and fishing ; and being very skilful in killing 

 jaguars, it is they who principally carry the 

 skins, known in Europe by the name of tiger- 

 skins, to the Spanish villages. A part of these 

 Indians have been baptized, but they never visit 



VOL. IV. 2 E 



