DANGERS OF THE RIVEB. 
49C 
clefts and humid sides of the rock. This spot displayed ons 
of the most extraordinary scenes of nature, that we had 
contemplated on the hanks of the Orinoco. The river rolled 
its waters turbulently over our heads. It seemed like the 
sea dashing against reefs of rocks ; hut at the entrance oi 
the cavern we could remain dry beneath a large sheet of 
water that precipitated itself in an arch from above the 
barrier. In other cavities, deeper, but less spacious, the rock 
was pierced by the effect of successive nitrations. A\ e saw 
columns of water, eight or nine inches broad, descending 
from the top of the vault, and finding an issue by clefts, that 
seemed to communicate at great distances with each other. 
The cascades of Europe, forming only one fall, or several 
falls close to each other, can never produce such variety in 
the shifting landscape. This variety is peculiar to rapids, 
to a succession of small cataracts several miles in length, 
to rivers that force their way across rocky dikes and 
accumulated blocks of granite. We had the opportunity of 
viewing this extraordinary sight longer than we wished. 
Our boat was to coast the eastern bank of a narrow island, 
and to take us in again after a long circuit. We passed an 
hour and a half in vain expectation of it. iS ight approached, 
and with it a tremendous storm. It rained with violence. 
We began to fear that our frail bark had been wrecked 
against the rocks, and that the Indians, conformably to 
their habitual indifference lor the evils of ofliers, had 
returned tranquilly to the mission. There were only three 
of us : we were completely wet, and uneasy respecting the 
fate of our boat : it appeared far from agreeable to pass, 
without sleep, a long night of the torrid zone, amid the 
noise of the Raudales. M. Bonpland proposed to leave me 
in the island with Don Nicolas Soto, and to swim across the 
branches of the river, that are separated by the granitic 
dikes. He hoped to reach the forest, and seek assistance at 
Atures from Father Zea. Wo dissuaded him with difficulty 
from undertaking this hazardous enterprise. He knew 
little of the labyrinth of small channels, into which the 
Orinoco is divided. Most of them have strong whirlpools, 
and what pissed before our eyes, while we were deliberating 
on our situation, proved sufficiently, that the natives had 
deceived us respecting the absence of crocodiles in the 
