CHAPTER XIII 
TO THE CATARACTS OF MAYPURES BY WAY OF JAVITA, 
AND RETURN TO SAN CARLOS 
[As this particular route has been more often 
described by other travellers, I have thought it 
advisable to give only an abstract of the greater 
part of the Journal, while printing the account of 
Maypures and the cataracts, and the notes on the 
vegetation of the river-banks, in full. San Carlos 
was Spruce's head-quarters during a year and eight 
months, and he actually resided there on three 
separate occasions for periods of five and a half and 
three months (twice), making altogether only a 
fortnight less than a complete year. He there made 
himself familiar with the Spanish language, as well 
as with the most common Indian dialect, the Baria ; 
and through intercourse with the Venezuelan 
officials, as well as with many traders and Indians, 
he obtained an extensive knowledge of the country 
and its productions, as well as of the people, their 
government, and their past history. His Journal 
and some of his Letters contain many short notes 
and essays which he no doubt intended to elaborate 
into a systematic account of this interesting and still 
little known region. All I am able to do here is to 
give a few of the more generally interesting of 
VOL. I 449 2 G 
