PICTURE-WRITINGS, 
151 
1849.] 
little further on, but it might now have failed, as it was 
the height of the dry season. 
We soon came in sight of the spot, and a group of 
Mauritia palms, which always grow in damp places, as 
well as some patches of brilliant green herbage, gave us 
hope. On reaching the palms we found a moist, boggy 
soil, but such a slow filtering of water among the weeds 
that it took nearly half an hour to fill our gourd. Seeing 
a mass of green at the very base of the perpendicular 
rocks higher up, where the spring appeared to issue, we 
proceeded there, and found, to our great joy, a little 
trickle of pure and delightfully cool water, and a shady 
place where we could rest and eat our lunch in comfort. 
We then went on till we arrived where our guide said 
the cave was situated ; but having been there only once 
he could not find it again, among the confused mass of 
rocks which in several places appeared to present open- 
ings, but which on reaching the spot deceived us. After 
various clamberings we gave up the search, and deter- 
mined to return home and get a better guide another 
day. 
On our way back we passed by a high cliff, on which 
were some of the picture-writings I had so much wished 
to see. They were executed in a red tint, produced ap- 
parently by rubbing them in with pieces of the rock, 
which in places is of that colour. They looked quite 
' fresh, and were not at all obliterated by the weather, 
though no one knows their antiquity. They consisted 
! of various figures, rudely executed, some representing 
animals, as the alligator, and birds, others like some 
household utensils, and others again circles and mathe- 
