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CHAPTER XXII. 



San Fernando de Atabapo. — San Balthasar. — 

 The rivers Temi and TuaminL — Javita. — 

 Portage from the Tuamini to the Rio Negro. 



During the night we had left, almost unper- 

 ceived, the waters of the Oroonoko ; and at sun- 

 rise found ourselves as if transported to a new 

 country, on the banks of a river the name of 

 which we had scarcely ever heard pronounced, 

 and which was to conduct us, by the portage of 

 Pimichin, to the Rio Negro, on the frontiers of 

 Brazil. " You will go up," said the president 

 of the missions, who resides at San Fernando, 

 " first the Atabapo, then the Temi, and finally, 

 the Tuamini. When the force of the current of 

 black waters hinders you from advancing, you 

 will be conducted out of the bed of the river 

 through forests, which you will find inundated. 

 Two monks only are settled in those desert 

 places, between the Oroonoko and the Rio Ne- 

 gro; but at Javita you will be furnished with the 



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