BASIN OF THE AMAZON. 
3G1 
The western shore of this basin is formed by the chain of the 
Andes, from tho knot of the mountains of Huanuco to the 
sources of the Magdalena. It is enlarged by the spurs of the 
the Eio Beni,* rich in gem-salt, and composed of several 
ranges of hills (lat. 8° 11' south) which advance into the 
plains on tho eastern bank of the Faro. These hills are 
transformed on our maj)S into Upper Cordilleras and Andes 
of Cuchao. Towards tho north, the basin of the Amazon, of 
which the area (214,000 square leagues) is only one-sixth 
less than the area ot all Europe, rises in a gentle slope towards 
the Sierra Farime. At GS^ of west longitude the elevated 
part of this Sierra terminates at north latitude. The 
group of little mountains surrounding the source of the Eio 
Negro, the Inirida and the Xie (lat. 2°) the scattered rocks 
between the Atabapo and the Cassiqularc, appear like groups 
•of islands and rocks in the middle of the plain. Some of 
those rocks are covered with signs or symbolical sculpture. 
Nations, very diherent from those who now inhabit the banks 
of the Cassi'quiaro, penetrated into the savannahs ; and the 
.zone of jiainted rocks, extending more than 150 leagues in 
breadth, bears traces of ancient civilization. On tlie east of 
the sporadic groups of rocks (between the meridian of the 
bifurcation of Orinoco and that ot the confluence of the 
Essequibo with the Eupuuuri), the lofty mountains of the 
Farime commence only in 3° north latitude ; where the plains 
•of the Amazon terminate. 
Tho limits of the plains of the Amazon are still less 
known towards the south than toM'ards the north. Ihe 
mountains that exceed 4()0 toises of absolute height do not 
appear to extend in Brazil northward of the parallels 14 
or 15° of south latitude, and west of the meridian of 52 j hut 
it is not known how iar the mountainous country extends, if 
we may call by that name a territory bristled with hills of one 
hundred or two hundred toises high. Between the Eio dos 
• The real name of this great river, respecting the of which 
ieoeraphers have been so iong divided, is Uchapaiu, proba y wa er 
(iiara) of Ucha” ; Peni also signibes ‘ river’ or ‘ water for the language of 
the Mavpures has very many analogies with that of the Moxos ; and vent 
lowenO signifies ^ water’ in Maypure, as tma in Moxo. Perhaps the river 
retained the name of Maypure, after tlie Indians who spoke that language 
had emigrated northward in the direction of the banks of the Orinoco. 
