176 



on the surface of the waters. But toward noon,, 

 when the sun reaches it's zenith, these strong 

 shadows gradually disappear, and the whole 

 group is veiled by an aerial vapour of a much 

 deeper azure than that of the lower regions of 

 the celestial vault. These vapours, circulating 

 around the rocky ridge, soften it's outline, tem- 

 per the effects of the light, and give the land- 

 scape that aspect of calmness and repose, which 

 in nature, as in the works of Claude Lorrain 

 and Poussin, arises from the harmony of form& 

 and colours. 



Cruzero, the powerful chief of the Guaypu- 

 nabis, long resided behind these mountains of 

 Sipapo, after having quitted with his warlike 

 horde the plains between the Rio Inirida and the 

 Chamochiquini. The Indians told us, that the 

 forests which cover the Sipapo abound in vehu- 

 co de maimure. This liana is celebrated among 

 the Indians, and serves for making baskets and 

 weaving mats. The forests of Sipapo are alto- 

 gether unknown, and there the missionaries 

 place the nation of the Ray as *, who have their 

 mouth in the navel. An old Indian, whom we 

 met at Carichana, and who boasted of having 

 often eaten human flesh, had seen these acephali 



* Rays, on account of the pretended analogy with the fish 

 of this name, the mouth of which seems as if forced back- 

 ward below the body. 



