490
DANGERS OF THE RIVER.
clefts and humid sides of the r o c k . This spot displayed one of the most extraordinary scenes of nature, that we had contemplated on the hanks of the Orinoco. T h e river rolled its waters turbulently over o u r heads. It seemed like the sea dashing against reefs of r o c k s ; b u t at the entrance o f the cavern we could remain dry beneath a large sheet o f water that precipitated itself in an arch from above the barrier. In other cavities, deeper, b u t less spacious, the r o c k was pierced by the effect o f successive filtrations. W e saw c o l u m n s of wafer, eight or nine inches broad, descending from the t o p o f the vault, and finding an issue by clefts, that sei rued I N c o m m u n i c a t e at great distances with each other. T h e cascades of E u r o p e , f o r m i n g o n l y one fall, or several falls close to each other, can n e v e r p r o d u c e such variety in the shifting landscape. This variety is peculiar t o rapids, to a succession o f small cataracts several miles in length, t o rivers that force their way across rocky dikes and a c c u m u l a t e d b l o c k s of granite. W e had the o p p o r t u n i t y of v i e w i n g this extraordinary sight longer than we wished. O u r boat was to coast the eastern bank o f a narrow island, and to take us in again after a l o n g circuit. We passed an h o u r and a half in vain expectation o f it. Night approached, and with it a tremendous storm. It, rained with violence. W e began to fear that o u r frail bark had been w r e c k e d against the rocks, and that the Indians, conformably to their habitual indifference for the evils o f others, had returned tranquilly to the mission. T h e r e were o n l y three of u s : we were completely wet, and uneasy respecting the fate o f o u r boat : it appeared far from agreeable to pass, w i t h o u t sleep, a l o n g n i g h t o f t h e torrid zone, amid tho noise o f the Raudales. M. Bonpland proposed to leave m e in the island with Don Nicolas S o t o , and to swim across the branches o f the river, that are separated by the granitic dikes. H e Imped to reach the forest, and seek assistance at A t u r e s from f a t h e r Zea. W e dissuaded him with difficulty from undertaking this hazardous enterprise. He knew little o f the labyrinth o f small channels, into which the O r i n o c o is divided. Most- o f them have s t r o n g whirlpools, and what passed before o u r e y e s , while we w e r e deliberating on our situation, proved sufficiently, that the natives had deceived us respecting the absence o f crocodiles in the