ARRIVAL AT THE VILLAGE. 
295 
almost a refinement of luxury, in that wild spot ; but our 
Wants rendered us every day more and more ingenious. 
After an hour of expetation, we saw the boat arrive above 
the raudal, and we were soon ready to depart. After quit- 
ting the rock, our passage was not exempt from danger. 
The river is eight hundred toises broad, and must be crossed 
obliquely, above the cataract, at the point where the waters, 
impelled by the slope of their bed, rush with extreme 
violence toward the ledge from which they are precipitated. 
We were overtaken by a storm, accompanied happily by no 
wind, but the rain fell in torrents. After rowing tor twenty 
minutes, the pilot declared, that, far from gaining upon the 
current, we were again approaching the raudal. These mo- 
ments of uncertainty appeared to us very long : the Indians 
8 poke only in whispers, as they do always when they think 
their situation perilous. They redoubled their efforts, and 
We arrived at nightfall, without any accident, in the port of 
Maypures. 
Storms within the tropics are as short a they are violent. 
The lightning had fallen twice near our boat, and had no 
doubt struck the surface of the water. I mention this phe- 
nomenon, because it is pretty generally believed in those 
countries that the clouds, the surface of which is charged 
With electricity, are at so great a height that the lightning 
Coaches the ground more rarely than in Europe. The night 
Was extremely dark, and wo could not in less than two 
hours reach the village of Maypures. We were wet to the 
8 kin. I n proportion as the rain ceased, the zaneudos re- 
appeared, with that voracity which tipulary insects always 
display immediately after a storm. My fellow-travellers 
Were uncertain whether it would be best to stop in the port 
°r proceed on our way on foot, in spite of the darkness of 
the night. Father Zea was determined to reach his home. 
Tte had given directions for the construction of a large 
house of two stories, which was to be begun by the Indians 
the mission. “ You will there find,” said he gravely, 
the same conveniences as in the open air ; I have neither 
^ bench nor a table, but you will not suffer so much from 
the flies, which are less troublesome in the mission than 
the banks of the river.” We followed the counsel of 
the missionary, who caused torches of copal to be lighted. 
