7 



to scepticism ; he imprints on his memory what 

 the natives have so often repeated to him ; and, 

 when returned to Europe, and restored to the 

 civilized world, he finds a compensation for his 

 toils in the pleasure of creating* astonishment 

 by a recital of facts, which he thinks he has 

 collected, and by an animated description of 

 remote things. These tales of travellers and of 

 monks ( cuentos de viageros y frailes ) increase 

 in improbability in proportion as you increase 

 your distance from the forests of the Oroonoko, 

 and approach the coasts, inhabited by the 

 whites. When at Cumana, Nueva Barcelona, 

 and other sea-ports, which have frequent com- 

 munication with the missions, you betray any 

 sign of incredulity, you are reduced to silence by 

 these few words, "The fathers have seen it, but 

 far above the Great Cataracts, mas ariba de los 

 Raudales" 



Entering a country so little frequented, and of 

 which a part only has been described by those 

 who passed through it, I have several motives for 

 adhering to the journal form in my narrative. 

 Under this form the reader will distinguish with 

 greater facility what I had an opportunity of 

 observing myself, and what I relate from the 

 testimony of the missionaries and natives. He 

 will follow the travellers in their daily occupa- 

 tions, and, appreciating at once the shortness 

 of the time at their disposal, and the difficulties 



