DIVERSITY OF DIALECTS. 
223 
amplified, and repeated to several individuals under dif- 
ferent forms. The variety of idioms spoken ou the banks of 
(he Meta, the Orinoco, the Cassiquiaro, and the Kio Negro, 
m so prodigious, that a traveller, however great may be'his 
meut for languages, can never hope to learn enough to 
l 'iake himself understood along the navigable rivers, from 
mngostura to the small fort of San Carlos del Kio Negro, 
ye Peru and Quito it is sufficient to know the Quichua” or 
, I Inca language ; in Chile, the Araucan; and in Paraguay, 
“ 6 Huarany ; in order to bo understood by most of the 
Population. But it is different in the Missions of Spanish 
•miana, where nations of various races are mingled in the 
fmne village. It is not even sufficient to have learned the 
anbee or Carina, the Giuamo, the Guahive, the Jaruro, 
vj’; Ottpmae, the Mavpure, the Salive, the Marivitan, the 
e fifiuiritare, and the Guaica, ten dialects, of which there 
inst only imperfect grammars, and which have less affinity 
I., ea ch other than the Greek, German, and Persian 
rr? Ua g eS - 
to r 16 enX^ 0118 °I the Mission of Carichana appeared to us 
|i delightful. The little village is situated in one of 
oj ,°se plains covered with grass that separate all the links 
th r 8 Tan i*'ie mountains, from Eucaramada to beyond 
om .ataractsof Maypures. The line of the forests is 'seen 
h v ln the distance. The horizon 'is everywhere bounded 
fountains, partly wooded and of a dark tint, partly bare, 
w 1 r °cky summits gilded by the beams of the sotting sun. 
aat gives a peculiar character to the scenery of this 
__ l gives a peculiar character to the scenery of this coun- 
t'lti ar ° hanks o1 ' reck (lavas) nearly destitute of vege- 
fime .’ ant * ° ften more tkan e '" llt hundred feet in circum- 
eavn e ’/ et scarcely rising a few inches above the suronndmg 
eursT- S ' • T,le . v n0 5 make a P urt °I the plain. We ask 
i- e nes with surprise, whether some extraordinary revolu- 
h*OYl ' — 'vnj. ft iiv'vuci ovu iv VvA U l Uvl Ui U<LI j iUV UIU.“ 
tl le S tna y have carried away the earth and plants ; or whether 
tli e ^ rar h^ e nucleus of our planet shows itself bare, because 
Ihe^.? rniS hfe are not yet developed on all its points, 
of «] Sdrne phenomenon seems to be found also in the desert 
hank aill ph "(liich separates Mongolia from China. Those 
they 8 °* s °hfary rock in the desert are called tsy. I think 
^°. U M he real table-lands, if the surrounding plains 
Wh ich S > ed sa nd and mould that cover them, and 
the waters have accumulated in the lowest places. 
