Scattered Slabs of Mica. 
61 
ideiitilH (1 tlie idoiiticjil range that Alexander von Hnmlboldt mentions in 
the sixtli volnnie of his Ti-avels. \Vhat witli the trigonometrical measnre- 
ments cari-ied ont, Alexander von Hnnd)oldt's determination differed 
from tliat of m^v In'other by 40 miles too mnch to the North: the latter 
fixed its sitnation in 1° 40' Lat N. 
152. The Wawaennaha crags showed themselves nnnsnally ci'vstal.- 
line, while hnge liglit-hi-nwn l onlders and slahs of mica, lay scattered 
aronnn n]inn the savannah. I have alreadj- I'eported that the Indiana 
take the mica for gold or silver (ßrafr/.) 
153. It Avas soon afterwards that we came npon a forest which in fact 
surpassed everything that I had previously seen: tropical plant-life 
seemed to have shed over it the whole fulness of her glory to an extent 
which even the mpst skilful pen mlight only approximately succeed in 
describing. Palms, Zing the raccae, Cannaceae, Musaccae, and ferns con- 
stituted the rank maas of forest. Thick clusters of Astrocaryum , Des- 
vwncns, Bactris, Euterpe, Mn.rbmliana and Acrocomia often alternated 
with large stretches of wild-plantain (Roreiiola ffinaneusis and Plieiia- 
eoftperwiini f/uianense Endl.) that mostly readied a height of 40 to 50 
feet, until collecting together again, the fonnler were to be seen scattered 
about and towering over the others with their proud fronds. The noisy 
rattle caused by the seed falling on the huge leaves of the RareuaJa 
showed how busily the innumeralde ])arrots were engaged in satisf^nno' 
their hunger with the ripe palm fi-uits: it nevertheless sounded as if a 
hail-storm had burst over the S]>ot. Tlie ground, consisting of a stiff clay 
mixed with sand, Was wrapped in a thick covering of Arum, Canna, and 
fern such as Triehomanes, Tjj/fiodiiini , ./[neimia, Alerteima, Adianfiim 
and Darallia. A loud cry of ''Snake, snake," and a shot immediately fol- 
lowing, warned us that it was doubly necessary to be on our guard. On 
reaching the spot, the stricken re])tile was still writhing in its blood, 
and the fii'st glance at its huge fangs showed that it had to be regarded 
as one of the most poisonous: it measured five feet and had a blackisli 
colour. The Indians exhibited the greatest fear and a strange terror of 
their enemy even when dead. Although I had never before seen a siieci- 
men, I was unable to preserve it, on account of my not having any spirits. 
154. At a small creek that was slo-^^ly m'eandering its way tlirough 
the fairy forest we pitched our camp under a huge Oarolinea which gave 
rise to plenty of noise the whole night through by dropping the contents 
of its burst seed-capsules over our tent cover. Tlie opposite baidc con- 
sisted of so dense a barricade of bambu {Guadiia Jat'ifolia), that it wonld 
have opposed an impenetrable obstacle to the escape of even the larger 
mammals. 
155. Next morning we continued our journey along the Ossotschuui 
Ranges, where we followed a beaten track wliich after a two hours marcli 
led to an abandoned settlement: its three large bee-hive shaped hoaises 
were situate on a rise. The loceened soil in the centre of the largest build- 
ing explained the reason that had led the residents to leave their blessed 
hearth and home — it was the grave of their chief, as the Wapisianas 
told us. 
