120 
A Net Work of Rivers. 
journey itself lay towards the South-West: its length amounted to a. 
mile. The size of the corial, owing to the small trail, rendered the work 
so difficult, that they took two days to bring it to the Yarikita River. 
The soil here consisted generally of a rich loam, on which grew a number 
of the most beautiful timbers for ship building. It was my brother's firm 
conviction that when the time should subsequently arrive lor the distri- 
bution in lids district of a denser population and a higher state of civil- 
isation, nothing could possibly be easier than to junction up the Karima 
with the Amacura by means of a canal since it would only be necessary 
lo scoop out the short stretch of river-bed which is at present unnaviga- 
ble. 
Ilib Except for some isolated granite boulders, which without any 
doubt had been rolled here by the force of the current, a stone was 
nowhere to be seen. The course of the Yarikita had been a north-wes- 
terly one, and after the small streams Wayuma and Waina had junction- 
ed with its left bank, had rapidly increased in size. The action of the 
ebb and flow was also distinctly visible. It was only when quite close to 
its mouth in the Amacura that they first noticed on its right bank several 
mountains rising to a height of 500 feet named Wanatari by tin* Indians. 
After entering the Amacura and following iis course, they reached by six 
o’clock in the evening the mouth of the Otucamabo, on its right or 
eastern bank. As my brother was keen on visiting Aseeura, a settlement 
occupied by Arawaks and Warraus under the chieftainship of Yan, he 
turned into the Otucamabo and was cordially received by the villagers. 
413. In company with chief Yan and some of his dependents, they left 
Aseeura on the 2nd June and steered up the Amacura. After passing 
Yarikita mouth it rapidly lost its previous size, and in the course of the 
day dwindled down to a stream of ordinary proportions. During the 
evening they entered the Curiyapo, which runs into the Amacura from 
the West, to search its banks for a Warrau settlement which they likewise 
found. As the rain fell in torrents they were obliged to remain here 
next day but as the following one did not prove any more favourable, 
they continued their trip up the Amacura to its cataract and rapids. This 
in the main proved to be an insuperable obstacle to navigation for the 
present, owing to a granite wall 1 hat stretched right across the river. The 
Curiyapo, close to its mouth, is only separated by a small neck of land 
from the Amacura which with its flat banks twisted its way through the 
valley like a snake. Nevertheless the farther they proceeded up it beyond 
the Curiyapo, the more the banks increased in height and the denser be- 
came the forestation. The Tusa, which is about as deep as the Amacura, 
joined it on its right a few miles above the Curiyapo. 
414. The sketch of the bed of the Amacura, as hitherto shewn on the 
maps, turned out to be completely incorrect, because it lies much farther 
to the westward than indicated. The perpendicular height of the Cuyur- 
ara cataracts was about 12 feet, in connection with which two other cat- 
aracts appeared somewhat farther above, so that the water rushed down 
a vertical height of 30 feet. The large corial prevented the travellers 
proceeding up beyond owing to the insignificance into which the river 
dwindled there, while on account of the unsuitable weather, astronomi- 
cal observations were of course not to be thought of : ever since Cumaka 
