In the snake-bitten Indian's hut we found balls, some 2 to 3 inches thick, of an earthy, dirty salt called chivi, which Indians prepare meticulously. In Javita they make salt by burning the spadix and fruit of the seje palm. As well as this they also distil the ashes of the famous cupana, a liana. A missionary seldom travels without seeds prepared from the cupana. This preparation requires great care. The Indians break up the seeds and mix them with cassava flour wrapped in banana leaves and leave the mixture to ferment in water until it becomes a saffron-yellow colour. This yellow paste is dried in the sun and taken in the morning as a tea. The drink is bitter and stomachic, though I found it repulsive.

Having reached the south of the Caravine raudal we saw that the winding Casiquiare again approached San Carlos. By land the distance from the San Francisco Solano mission, where we slept, is only 2. leagues, but by river it was 7 or 8. I spent part of the night outside, vainly waiting for stars to appear.

We followed the same route as Columbus had taken on his first voyage out to the Antilles. It is well known that during the crossing from Santa Cruz to Cumana, or from Acapulco to the Philippines, sailors barely have to worry about working the sails. We crossed the ocean as if descending a river, and would have been in no greater danger if we had made the voyage in an open boat.