Page:A narrative of travels on the Amazon and Rio Negro.djvu/271

 1852.] NUMEROUS CATARACTS, 239

caxoeira, were so full of parallel veins, as to give them the appearance of being stratified and thrown up nearly vertically ; whereas they are granitic, and similar to those we had already seen. We then soon reached the " Ira " (Honey) and " Baccaba " (a Palm) caxoeiras ; at both of which there are figures or picture-writings on the rocks, which I stayed to sketch. In passing the latter rapid, we knocked off one of the false keels I had had put to the canoe previous to starting, to preserve the bottom in the centre, where it was worn very thin by being dragged over the rocks by its former owner. We therefore stopped at a sandbank, unloaded the canoe, and plugged up the nail-holes, which were letting in water very fast.

The next day we passed in succession the "Arara Miri" (Little Macaw), "Tamaquerie" (Gecko), "Paroquet," " Japoo" (a bird), " Arara " (Macaw), " Tatii " (Armadillo), " Amana " (Rain), " Camoa " (?), " Yauti " (Tortoise) ; and, finally, about three p.m., arrived at "Caruru " (a water-plant) caxoeira. The last five of these, before arriving at Caruru, were exceedingly bad ; the passage being generally in the middle of the river, among rocks, where the water rushes furiously. The falls were not more than three or four feet each ; but, to pull a loaded canoe up these, against the foaming waters of a large river, was a matter of the greatest difficulty for my dozen Indians, their only resting-place being often breast-deep in water, where it was a matter of wonder that they could stand against the current, much less exert any force to pull the canoe. At Arara fall, the usual passage is over the dry rock, and we unloaded for that purpose ; but all the efforts of the Indians could not get the heavy canoe up the steep and rugged ascent which was the only pathway. Again and again they exerted themselves, but to no purpose ; and I was just sending by an old man, who was passing in a small canoe, to Caruru for assistance, when he suggested that by getting a long sipo (the general cable in these rivers) we might obtair a good purchase, to pull the canoe up the margin of the fall, which we had previously tried without success. We accordingly did so, and by great exertions the difficulty was passed, — much to my satisfaction, as sending to Caruru would have occasioned a great and very annoying delay.

The river from Jauarite may be said to average about a