Snail-Shells Invariably Damage©. 
233 
prevents all gloomy thoughts arising concerning the same dangers that 
threaten us on our return: the charm ot the moment captivates the 
Present, and crowds out all sombre fancies of the Future. Wherever the 
eye turns it meets with fresh surprises. Here a mighty current rushes 
in between the rocky cliffs to disappear as if by magic into an unnoticed 
gulf : there a huge mass of water is ever on the whirl in a funnel-shaped 
cauldron formed of giant boulders. In the streaks formed of sticky mud 
that no downpour of rain, no amount of sunshine, can remove, these 
rocks show trace of the various water-levels for thousands of years past. 
Often a giant tree-trunk, long since dead, that has been brought and left 
here at high water, crowns one of' these boulders until perhaps after 
the lapse of several years a yet higher flood carries it farther. On the 
washed-down earth in the rifts and clefts that only an exceptional flood 
can reach, there develops a luxuriant flora that covers the sombre rocks 
with the loveliest flowery garlands. t Hundreds of beautiful Vochysiae 
displaying their glowing yellow colours, and innumerable scarlet-red 
blossoms of creeping Noranfea guianensis hemmed in the horribly wild 
and yet so enchantingly lovely scenery. I found a number of pretty 
snails, Melania, sticking on to the granite crags immediately below the 
surface of the water, but it would have been trouble spent in vain to 
search for a single undamaged specimen amongst the innumerable 
quantities, — all were mutilated, and several turns of the pointed whorls 
were broken off in every one.* Just as the rocks below were dotted with 
these molluscs, so were those above it, as well as the river-side trees, 
festooned with a similarly countless number of small bats. When 
approaching these animals and scaring them away, as the Indians 
particularly did very often, they suddenly flew off, rushed a few times 
here and there over the surface of the water, but then always returned 
back to the spot where originally found. I saw these wonderful 
creatures hanging head down not only upon the northern aspects of the 
trees and rocks, but also in full glare of the sunshine. 
709. We did not, however, get over the Itaballi Falls without losing 
something, and our joy when all the boats, including the smallest, rode 
safe in the fairway beyond the top, was somewhat premature because 
the current demanded this very one as a victim. Fortunately, the corial 
only contained two barrels of pickled meat that had been left for ballast, 
and as the accident occurred before reaching the whirlpool, its captain, 
who was an accomplished swimmer, yet managed to save it. The pro- 
visions were of course lost, though we were very glad there had been no 
fatality and that we still had our boat, the loss of which would have put 
us in a tight corner. 
710. Our hope of camping at some spot far remote from the dull 
booming of the Falls was unfortunately not to be gratified, for the 
• — . . 
t — These include Eugenia svbobliqua Benth., Psidivm aquaiieum. P. parviflorum Benth., 
P. aromaticum Aubl. , Conepia romesa Benth., Inga di.xti.rba Benth.. I. adi antifolia, Humb. Bonp., 
I. umbellifera Ue.C, Chomelia angustifolia Benth., Amphymenium Rnhrii Humb. Bonp., Drepano- 
earpns inundatus Mart., Leptol obium nitens Vogel, Hyptis unic.ata Poit... IT. Pa rlcerii Benth., U. re- 
curoata Poit., Gerardia hispidula Mart., Torenia parviflora Hamilt , Reyrichia ocymoides Chamiss. 
Schicht., JBacopa aqnalica Aubl., Melochia Zanceolaia Benth., iff, arenosa Benth. 
* From the hundreds which I have examined in varying degrees of destruction, I am 
inclined to the belief that- the damage is due to organic, and not inorganic, causes, (Ed.) 
