NATIVE LEGENDS OF A DELUGE.
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T h e nations o f the T a m a n a c race, the ancient inhabitants o f those countries, have a local m y t h o l o g y , and traditions c o n n e c t e d with these sculptured r o c k s . Amalivaca, the lather o f the Tamanacs, that is, t h e creator o f the human race ( f o r every nation regards itself as the r o o t o f all other n a t i o n s ) , arrived in a bark, at the time o f the great inundation, which is called 'the age o f w a t e r , ' * w h e n the billows of the ocean broke; against the mountains o f Encamarada in the interior o f t h e land. A l l mankind, or, t o speak m o r e correctly, all the Tamanacs, were d r o w n e d , with the exception of one man and one w o m a n , w h o saved themselves o n a f o u n t a i n near the banks o f the A s i v e r u , called Cuchivero by the Spaniards. This mountain is the Ararat o f the Aramean o r Semitic nations, and t h e Tlaloc o r Colhuacan o f the M e x i c a n s . Amalivaca, sailing in his bark, engraved the figures o f the m o o n and the sun o n the Painted R o c k (Tepumereme) o f Encaramada. S o m e blocks o f granite piled upon one another, and f o r m i n g a kind o f cavern, are still called the house or dwelling o f the great forefather o f the Tamanacs. The natives show also a large stone near this cavern, in the plains o f Maita, which they say was an instrument, of music, the d r u m o f Amalivaca. We m u s t here observe, that this heroic personage had a brother, Vochi, who helped him to give the surface o f the earth its in their form the Tamanacs relate, that the t w o b r o t h e r s , in their system o f perfectibility, s o u g h t , at first, t o arrange the O r i n o c o in such a manner, that the current o f the water could always be followed either g o i n g d o w n or g o i n g up the river. T h e y h o p e d b y this means t o spare men t r o u b l e in navigating rivers; but, however great the p o w e r o f these g e n e r a t o r s of the world, they c o u l d never contrive t o give a double slope to the O r i n o c o , and w e n ; c o m p e l l e d t o relinquish this singular plan. Amalivaca had daughters, who had a decided taste f o r travelling. The tradition their doubtless with a figurative meaning, that he b r o k e their legs to render them sedentary, and force t h e m t o people the land of the Tamanacs. A f t e r having regulated everything in America, on that side o f the ' g r e a t water,' Amalivaca again embarked, and " r e t u r n e d to the o t h e r †The Atonatiuh tion of the world.
of the Mexicans, the fourth age, the fourth regenera-