410 
THE EIO PACIM05T. 
taking the altitudes of tlie two beautiful stars winch shine 
in the feet of the Centaur. This observation made known 
to us at the same time, with sufficient precision for the 
purposes of geography, the positions of the mouth of the 
Pacimoni, of the fortress of San Carlos, and of the junction 
of the Cassiquiare with the Bio Negro. The rock of Cub' 
macari is precisely in latitude 2° 0' 42", aud probably ni 
longitude G9° 33' 50". 
Satisfied with our observations, we left the rock of Culi- 
rnacari at half past one on the morning of the 12th. The 
torment of mosquitos, to which we were exposed, augmented 
in proportion as wo withdrew from the Rio Negro. There 
are no zancudos in the valley of Cassiquiare, but the sinni- 
iia, and all the other insects of the tipulary family, are the 
more numerous and venomous. Having still eight nights to 
pass in the open air in this damp aud unhealthy climate, 
before we could reach the mission of Esmeralda, our pihb 
sought to arrange our passage in such a manner as might 
enable us to enjoy the hospitality of the missionary <b 
Mandavaca, aud some shelter m the village of Yasiva. we 
went up with difficulty against the current, which was nine 
feet, and in some places (where I measured it with pre- 
cision) eleven feet eight inches in a second, that is, almost 
eight miles an hour. Our resting-place was probably not 
farther than three leagues in a right line from the mission 
of Mandavaca; yet, though wc had no reason to complain 
of inactivity on the part of our rowers, wc were fourteen 
hours in making this short passage. . 
Towards sunrise wo passed the mouth ol the Bio Eaci 
moni, a river which I mentioned when speaking of the trac e 
in sarsaparilla, and which (by means of the Baria) inter- 
twines in so remarkable a way with the Cababirri. - Ibe 
Pacimoni rises in a hilly ground, from the confluence ot 
three small rivers,* not marked on the maps of the mission- 
aries. Its waters are black, but less so than those of the 
lake of Yasiva, which also communicates with the Cassi- 
quiare. Between those two tributary streams coming f««n 
the east, lies the mouth of the Bio Idapa, the waters o 
which are white. I shall not recur again to the difficulty 01 
* The Rios Guajavaca, Moreje, and Caclievaynery . 
