FORESTS OF THE UAUPES 333 
it again began to fall, the whole rise not having 
exceeded 3 or 4 feet. 
It went on falling a few inches each day, or on 
some days neither rising nor falling, till December 
19, when it began to rise again, and by the 23rd 
had reached the height of its former rise. Thus it 
continued (save that on one day, the 28th, it fell a 
little) until midnight on the 31st, when it began to 
subside. 
Jan. 9. River had fallen 2 ft. 10 in. 
(On nth rose slightly, but on 12th again fell.) 
Jan. 16. River had fallen 3 ft. 3 in. 
Feb. I. ,, „ 4 ft. 8 in. 
„ 5- » „ 5 ft- 
Then about midnight it began to rise rapidly, 
and continued rising until February 15, having 
reached within a foot of its former rise. Then it 
fell so rapidly that on the 25th it had fallen a foot 
lower than in last fall. This is the lowest point the 
river attained during this season, and it was so far 
from attaining the ebb of former years that the 
Indians said the summer had passed without any 
vasante (ebb) properly so called. In other years 
the river is said to have dried so much that 
scattered rocks peeped out all the way across in 
front of Sao Jeronymo. This year a group of rocks 
appeared only about the middle, and a praya (sandy 
beach) on the opposite side was considerably ex- 
posed. The high water seems also to vary con- 
siderably, and I could not ascertain the point it 
reached most usually. One line which was shown 
me was about 10 feet above the highest rise above 
recorded ; supposing the river reached this at the 
last flood, then the whole ebb was but 15^ feet. 
Customarily after the river begins to fall in July, 
