CHArTER VI. 
Departure, from Toroiuj-Yuuiclse — Mt. Taiiiungkanfj — TaUey of the 
Tapnrhuj — VaiU ij of the Tukcre — A ppvarance of J*roieaceuc and 
Teritströinidceac — A'alh i/ of] the Miii/diu/ — Conntrij of tJie Arekiina 
- — Yair(in</ra I 'Ulaijc — // iniiirida Ra it(/es-—Eli>>al)etha regia. — 
CJlmbimj II iiiiiiruUt — Tahlc-la iid of Jliiiiiiridd and its re[/etation — 
WatersJied of the Orinoco — Mountain rallei/ of the\ Znappi — 
IJuniesetd ViUdf/e — ValJei/ of the Knkenani — Mdridnnirn Falh — ■ 
Bdfd/Kinf/ settlement — li nr-iniern — Zudptipn Ranf/e — W'a iiiaral i pn 
and J'Jra mat mil Rdn</es — Rirer Wararite. 
.378. After despatcliing two Indians some days beforeliand to warn 
the inmates of tlie settlements alon^,- Avliicli we would be probably iiassinc; 
to ])ake as much bread as ])()ssibl(% in fact to Und the necessai'y provisions, 
and settinfi aside on the ( venino- before the loads that might still be sent 
for, we left Torong-Yanwise at break of day on lOtli October: our caravan 
consisted of 79 ])e()])l(', inclusive of women and chihlren, under the escort 
<tf the chief and his wives who kept us com])any for the lirst two days. 
o7y. The way led at the start in a northwesterly direction through 
a rolling valley, now and again interspersed with small oases and a 
stunted vegetation, but completely overstrewn with quartz, and granite 
fragments, which made the commencement of the journey all the more 
I i-oubksonie, the sharp corners of the quartz stones even piercing the 
leather of our shoes. Our friendly host from Torong-Yauwise pointed 
out a large bee-hive house which he had previously occupied. A thick 
belt of vegetation, some H hours distant, we took to be the bed of a river: 
it was the ('otinga, which here c<inie fi-oni tlie N.b]. The want of a boat 
forced us to cross it on foot, but tliis was only done after much trouble, 
because of the depth and sti-ength if>f the current, coudiined with the round 
loose ])ebbles on the unstal»le bottom, the water coming up to our armi)ils. 
The Indians had to cross with th(^ loads on their heads, tlie women 
cai'rying the children on theii- shoulders. After the last one reached the 
opposite shore, we made our way in thoroughly drenched clothes along 
a more noi therly ti-ack which soon led over a 2 to 300 ft. high mountain 
covered with huge granite and quartz boulders. In getting ov(-i- these 
our clothes were wetted afresh Imt this time with persjni'ation. One of 
the most delightful views Avith mountain-tops towering on all si<les, 
comj)ensate(I us libei-ally for the extra exertion. The giant gate-way of 
the mountain-chain of Pataghe and Morakai still rose in the south above 
all the heights surrounding it, but to the W., E. and N. the further 
distance was closed in with bleak rugged mountains l)are of all vegetation. 
It was only in the valleys that little wooded flats extended to the 
mountain bases and, in isolated spots, tbough still only in the narrow 
passes, clamliered to an insignificant height. After spending a 
monotonous time in crossing the mountain-belt between boulders and 
stones, we reached its northern slope and descended into a welcome 
