Gilpin observer., 1910-08-04
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ther parks houses nUr work of man. Instead it
remains unadorned. as 1t has been for centuries.
with its almost barren banks standing like walls
and more resembling cast iron than. they are in
reality, rock painted black by the iron and man
ganese held in solution by the water when the
river is in freshet.
Living near the falls are few men who. know
ing the most accessible footpaths to the various
points Of interest will act as guides for small
fee. However, they not obtrusive or insistent
in pronering their services: the contrary one
has to make inquiry to find them.
The falls are slightly crescentric in form. The
main body of water rushes down the steep incline
of the last rapids to the Mai da Cachoeira. where
1t hurls itself with great momentum against a steep
black wall directly in front Of 1t, rebounds. swish
ing. swirliLg. churning and foaming only to be
pushed over the abyss at a right angle to its orig
inal course, by the dancing. foaming waters Of the
AngiQuinho before the water can recover its nat
ural appearance. The width of the river at this
point is about so feet. and the depth OF the water
at tho base of the falls is given Sc feet The
river then rushes straight for few hundred
feet, only to be hurled back by a rock wall 300
feet high. forming the lower whirlpool from which
1t finally escapes at q right angle and passes for
some miles through a forge.
The guide next leads one to the river above
where, hemmed in by low banks OF black rock II
is broad and quiet with nothing to suggest the tur.
bulent waters Just left. Continuing upstream one
sees numerous islands, mere rocks projecting
like monuments from the water. and notes that al.
ready the water has commenced to hurry
short distance below the river makes its first
leap OF 30 feet This is followed by the "vai-vem
de Gina" upper come and go). miniature whir-
pool where the water GIBBS and flows at oft-repeat
ed intervals. Farther on. the rock banks OF the
river approach each other and through clefts in
the rock the river is compressed into five narrow
branches four of which Immediately start their
descent by tumbing 15 20 feet and becoming
a mass OF seething foam rushes down the steep
incline with a fury that almost causes the earth
to shake and with that can be heard for
miles. thus forming the soul-inspring rapids
According to the guide. the trip to Paulo Anon.
so would not be complete without q visit to what
he styles the wonderful "Flrna do Morcego" (bats'
cave). To see this one is induced to climb crawl
and II not very careful. fall down the zigzax path
leading to the edge Of the lower whirlpool where
after literally scrambling the rubbish thrown
up by It, one is conducted to the large gaping en-.
trance to the cave The cave itself is dlsappodnt.
Ing. II is nothing more than large opening in
the bank and is embarrassing unless one excepts
the great number Of vampire bats which inhabit n
These are very troublesome to the cattle raisers
in the vicinity.
From the mouth OF the cave one has a GOOD
view of the whirlpool but with thoughts of the
dihcult climb necessary to return Il ts doubtful II
this side trip has been worth the trouble