CAVERN or ATARUTPE. 
23C 
the cradle of so many various nations, will for ever remain 
Jhe centre of human civilization in the torrid zone. From 
these fertile and temperate table-lands, from these islets 
scattered in the aerial ocean, knowledge and the blessings 
°1 social institutions will be spread over those vast forests 
extending along the foot of the Andes, now inhabited only 
“7 savage tribes whom the very wealth of nature has 
stained in indolence and barbarism. 
Chapteb XXI. 
Caudal of Garcita. — Maypures. — Cataracts of Quituna. — Mouth of the 
Vichada and the Zama. — Rock of Aricagua. — Siquita. 
IVe directed our course to the Puerto de arriba, above 
jhe cataract of Atures, opposite the mouth of the Kio 
Cataniapo, where our boat was to be ready for us. In the 
harrow path that leads to the emlarcadero we beheld for 
T® last time the peak of TJniana. It appeared like a cloud 
^sing above the horizon of the plains. The Guahibos 
h’arider at the foot of the mountains, and extend their 
course as far as the banks of the Yichada. We were 
®hown at a distance, on the right of the river, the rocks 
'pat surround the cavern of Ataruipe; but we had not 
*hhe to visit that cemetery of the destroyed tribe of the 
Atures. Father Zea had repeatedly described to us this 
jXtraordinary cavern, the skeletons painted with anoto, the 
® r ge vases of baked earth, in which the bones of separate 
^Dailies appear to be collected; and many other curious 
ejects, which we proposed to examine on our return from 
J\ e Irio Negro. “Tou will scarcely believe,” said the 
issionaries, “that these skeletons, these painted vases, 
/"eg s which we believed were unknown to the rest of the 
th d'’- have brought trouble upon me and my neighbour, 
. 6 missionary of Carichana. You have seen the misery 
which I live in the raudales. Though devoured by mos- 
jketos, and often in want of plantaifis and cassava, yet I 
ave found envious people even in this country ! A white 
an, who inhabits the pastures between the Meta and the 
Pure, denounced me recently in the Audencia of Caracas, 
rim. n 
