Personal Narrative Of Travels To The Equinoctial Regions Of America During The Years 1799-1804 - Volume 2 - By Alexander Von Humboldt And Aime Bonpland.
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Since 1776 No Attempt Has Been Made To
Re-Establish The Road Which Leads By Land From The Upper To The Lower
Orinoco, And No White Man Has Been Able To Pass From Esmeralda To The
Erevato.
It is certain, however, that in the mountainous lands,
between the sources of the Padamo and the Ventuari (near the sites
called by the Indians Aurichapa, Ichuana, and Irique) there are many
spots where the climate is temperate, and where there are pasturages
capable of feeding numerous herds of cattle.
The military posts were
very useful in preventing the incursions of the Caribs, who, from time
to time carried off slaves, though in very small numbers, between the
Erevato and the Padamo. They would have resisted the attacks of the
natives, if, instead of leaving them isolated and solely to the
control of the soldiery, they had been formed into communities, and
governed like the villages of neophyte Indians.
We left the mission of Esmeralda on the 23rd of May. Without being
positively ill, we felt ourselves in a state of languor and weakness,
caused by the torment of insects, bad food, and a long voyage, in
narrow and damp boats. We did not go up the Orinoco beyond the mouth
of the Rio Guapo, which we should have done, if we could have
attempted to reach the sources of the river. There remains a distance
of fifteen leagues from the Guapo to the Raudal of the Guaharibos. At
this cataract, which is passed on a bridge of lianas, Indians are
posted armed with bows and arrows to prevent the whites, or those who
come from their territory from advancing westward.
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