180 
MOUNTAINS OT ENCAllAMADA. 
Nile,* “that they swarm like worms in the shallow waters o! 
the rarer, and in the shelter of uninhabited islands.” 
On the 6th of April, whilst continuing to ascend the 
Orinoco, first southward and then to south-west, wo perceived 
the southern side of the Serrania, or chain of the mountains 
of Enearamada. The part nearest the river is only one 
hundred and forty or one hundred aud sixty toises.high; 
but from its abrupt declivities, its situation m the midst ot 
a savannah, and its rocky summits, cut into shapeless prisms, 
the Serrania appears singularly elevated. Its greatest 
breadth is only three leagues. According to information 
given me by the Indians of the Pareka nation, it is con- 
siderably wider toward the east. The summits of Encara- 
mada form the northernmost link of a group of mountains 
which border the right hank of the Orinoco, between the la- 
titudes of 5° and 7° 30' from the mouth of the Rio Zaina to 
that of the Cabullare. The different links into which this 
group is divided are separated by little grassy plains. They 
do not preserve a direction perfectly parallel to each other ; 
for the most northern stretch from west to east, and the 
most southern from north-west to south-east. This change 
of direction sufficiently explains the increase of breadth 
observed in the Cordillera of Parime towards the east, 
between the sources of the Orinoco and of the Rio Paruspm 
On penetrating beyond the great cataracts of Atures aim 
of Maypures, we shall see seven principal links, those 6 ‘ 
Enearamada or Saeuina, of Chaviripa, of Baraguan, of Car 1 ' 
chana, of Uniama, of Calitamini, and of Sipapo, successive!' 
appear. This sketch may serve to give a general idea 0 
the geological configuration of the ground. We reeogn' 2 
everywhere on the globe a tendency toward regular fornij’ 
in those mountains that appear the most irregularly group 6 ®' 
Every link appears, in a transverse section, like a distil' 6 ^ 
summit, to those who navigate the Orinoco ; but this dri 1 ' 
siou is merely in appearance. The regularity in the dir eC ' 
a' oonnvatinn rvf’ flip links RPPms rliminisVi in P 1 * ✓ 
oil'll lO Uin “pi 7 t o * . . • yO* 
tion and separation of the links seems to diminish in p r ^ 
portion as we advance towards the east. The mountains ^ 
portion as we advance towards the east. The mountains 
Enearamada join those of Mato, which give birth to "j* 
Rio Asiveru" or Cuchivero; those of Chaviripe are 
longed by the granite chain of the Corosal, of Amoco, 
• Description de l’Egypte, translated by De Sacy. 
