rtJBTHEB PKEPAKAIIOKS. 
213 
fo ? the society of other monkeys. The sight jf the smallest 
saimiri puts it to flight. Its eye denotes great vivacity. 
We have seen it remain whole hours motionless without 
sleeping, and attentive to everything that was passing 
"round. But this wildness and timidity are merely apparent. 
1 he viudita, when alone, and left to itself, becomes furious 
; 't the sight of a bird. It then climbs and runs with asto- 
nishing rapidity; darts upon its prey like a cat; and kills 
whatever it can seize. This rare and delicate monkey is 
i°und on the right bank of the Orinoco, in the granite moun- 
ta [ ns which rise behind the Mission of Santa Barbara. It 
‘hhabits also the banks of the Guaviare, near San Fernando 
ae Atabapo. 
The viudita accompanied us on our whole voyage on the 
hassiquiare and the llio Negro, passing the cataracts twice, 
to S , l ; ud - vin " tlie mannerB of animals, it is a great advantage 
0 observe them during several months in the open air, and 
°t m houses, where they lose all their natural vivacity.’ 
„ iile new canoe intended for us was, like all Indian boats, 
‘trunk of a tree hollowed out partly by the hatchet and 
T) y kj fire. It was forty feet long, and three broad. 
.J^ee persons could not sit in it side by side. These canoes 
e so crank, and they require, from their instability, a cargo 
in f equa % distributed, that when you want to rise for an 
sid nt ’ i OU must warn the rowers to lean to the opposite 
ei f 6 ’ Without this precaution the water would necessarily 
0 j ® r the side pressed down. It is difficult to form an idea 
v ' j ! inconveniences that are suffered in such wretched 
f 0r 16 Missionary from the cataracts made the preparations 
th er ° Ur T°y a ge with greater energy than we wished. Lest 
bib e T mi ?ht not be a sufficient number of the Maco and Gua- 
cb ® Indians, who are acquainted with the labyrinth of small 
"re'. S arld cascades ot which the JSaudales or cataracts 
the Com P ose d ! two Indians were, during the night, placed in 
"'it! CP P?~T a sort °f stocks in which they were made to lie 
f'st* *A e ' r i e 8 s between two pieces of wood, notched and 
•'■on ' together by a chain with a padlock. Early in the 
u e ''.To we were awakened by the cries of a young man, 
Wa a 7 s ^y beaten with a whip of manati skin. His name 
‘Crepe, a very intelligent young Indian, who proved 
