561 



fissures of a sonorous stone might have suggested 

 to the Egyptian priests, to invent the juggleries 

 of the Memnonium *. 



April the 12th. We set off at four in the 

 morning. The missionary foresaw, that we 

 should have great difficulty in passing the rapids 

 and the mouth of the Meta. The Indians rowed 

 twelve hours and a half without intermission. 

 During this time, they took no other nourish- 

 ment than cassava and plantains. When we 

 consider the difficulty of overcoming the impe- 

 tuosity of the current, and of passing the cata- 

 racts ; when we reflect on the constant employ- 

 ment of the muscular powers, during a naviga- 

 tion of two months ; we are equally surprised at 

 the constitutional vigour and the abstinence of 

 the Indians of the Oroonoko and the Amazon. 

 Amylaceous and saccharine substances, some- 

 times fish and the fat of turtles' eggs, supply the 

 place of food drawn from the first two classes *f- 

 of the animal kingdom, those of quadrupeds 

 and birds. 



We found the bed of the river, to the length 

 of six hundred toises, full of granitic rocks. 

 Here is what is called the Randal de Cariven %. 

 We passed through channels that were not five 



* lb. vol. i, p. 103 and 234. 



f Animals with red and warm blood. 



4 Or Car ken i. 



VOL. IV. 2 O 



