THE GREAT CAVERN O? OUAOHARO, 
1 - 20 ^ 
of! 
souls of their ancestors sojourn in the deep recesses o' 
cav'ern, *' Man,” say they, “ should avoid places " ' 
are enlightened’ neither by the Sun nor by the 
To go and join the guacharoes, is to rejoin their f®’*' L:' 
is to die. The magicians and the poisoners perform 
nocturnal tricks at the entrance of the cavern, to 
the chief of the evil spirits. 
At the point svhere the river forms the subterTi'^jii 
cascade, a hill covered 'with vegetation, which is opP'^jf 
the opening of the grotto, presents itself in a very JJ/ 
turesque manner. It appears at the extremity of a 
passage, 240 toises in length’. The stalactites, whicu > 
. , . .S' 
scend froya the vault, and v/hich resemble co!umu> 
pended in the air, display themselves on a back-J?''.' 
of verdure. The opening of tiie cavern aj jpeared 
* ' ' • - • • * '* I c* 
larly contracted, wiien 'we saw it about ti>e middle ® 
day, illumined by the vivid light reflected at once * J 
the sky, the ])lants, and the rocks. The distant 
day formed somewhat of magical contrast with the e 
ness that surrounded us in those vast cave’^ns. .,(( 
climbed, not without some difliculty, the small hill, (I# 
the subterraneous rivulet descends. We saw 
grotto was perceptibly contracted, retaining only 
feet in height ; and th.it it continued siretching 
north-east, without deviating from its primitive 
cUrcct*'- 
which is parallel to that of the great valley of Cai'ip^’. ^ 
‘ il‘> , 
The missionaries, with all their authority, cot'i g 
prevail on the Indians to penetrate farther into th® 
vern. As the vault grew lower, the cries of the 
roes became more shrill. We were obliged to yielJ 
pusillanimity of cur guides, ami trace back our step*" / 
followed the course of the torrent to go out of the C" ^ 
Before our eyes were dazzled with the light of 
saw, without the gi'otto, the water of the river sps'’^[jt< 
amid the foliage of the tree.s that concealed it. It 
a picture placed in the distance, an;l to which the 
of the cavern served as a frame. Havingat length 
tJie entrance, and seated ourselves on the bank 
vulet, we rusted after our fatigues. We were Jji* 
>eyond the hoarse cries of the birds, and to leave ■"'.P j!* 
where darkness does not oiFer even the charm of ^ 
ind tranquillity. 
