Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1897-12-26
WONDERS OF THE ORINoCO.
As Reported by Recent American
Explorers.
(St. Paul Oiinn) Globe.)

(St. Paul (Minn.) GloDeD
s. A. Thompson, who went to Vene-
zuela last year in company with l.. 0.
Dent and others to investigate the ORR
noco country for the Faribault syndicate,
was in the city yesterday on business.
To Messrs. Thompson and Dart belongs
the honor Of discovering probably the
highest cascade in the world. The most
exhaustive search in all records has failed
TO disclose any record of the cascade
heretofore.
The exploring party consisted of Mr..
Thompson and Mr.. Dart, and six or elght
native carriers. The party struck out at
right angles from the Orinoco through
the dense jungles. Mr.. Thompson said
Il was impossible to make more than
three or four miles a day through these
forests, as the vines, trees. and under
brush were so closely intertwined. The
party were compelled to use machetes
to cut their way through At night each
man slung his hammock between the
trees. covered himself with a stout mos
quito netting. and slept soundly. During
the trip parrots and gayly-plumed birds
were seen by the millions. Only seven
snakes were seen, which rather disproves
the theory that the jungles of Venezuela
are Inhabited by reptiles.
The party continued through the jungles
for 100 miles, ard one day the sound of a
mighty cataract came to their ears. The
exploring party was then In the Imataca
mountains. The sound of the falling
water was pursued, and in an hour or two
the party came in view Of one of the
most wonderful sights ever seen by man.
Coming from a height which could only
be guessed was mighty torrent. 1t
was following the precipitous sides of
the mountain, which rose at an agile OF
about S. degrees. The water followed a
multitude of channels. and its rush
churned II into white foam. Thompson
says the cascade looked like great sheet
OF animated white lace with intricateiy
woven meshes. After standing SPELL
bound, the party advanced to explore the
cascade. They climbed up the side to a
| height Of 600 feet, but still the waterfall
| lowered an equal distance above them.
Mr.. Thompson believes the water falls a
distance Of 1000 or 200 feet The cascade
was named the Waterfall OF Manoa,
after the mythical city of gold, for which
Raleigh and other explorers so vainly
searched.
Mr.. Thompson tells OF many wonderful
freaks of nature. The party several
times came In contact with the carlD
fish, which are the most ferocious in
habitants of the water known. The fish
are not over fourteen inches long. but
they travel in schools. Their teeth are
three-cornered. Any living object which
attracts their attention is attacked with
a fury. Mr.. Thompson tells of an Indian
woman who entered the water to fill a
bucket. She was attacked by the fish
and reached shore, only to die in fifteen
minutes. The flesh was literally torn
from her body. Mr.. Dart, who was with
Mr.. Thompson, caught one of the fish
and pulled it upon the bank. He held the
carib under his foot while he pointed at
the peculiar teeth with his finger. With
a quick movement the carib Topped out
from under Mr.. Darts foot and seized
him by the finger. cutting that member
to the bone. The fish frequently have
been known to bite ordinary fish-hooks
in two. Another fish which the party
often came across was the morocoto. the
flavor Of which is like Lake Superior
white fish. only more delicate. The moro
coto is provided with molar teeth and
subsists on vegetable matter, which Il
thoroughly masticates before swallowing.
Another peculiar creature found was the
morocoy, a species Of land turtle, which,
at night utters cry of wonderful sweet
ness, plaintive and clear. The bugs and
black ants Mr.. Thompson said. are the
bane of the country. The black ant
reaches the length OF an inch and half.