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diff --git a/.gitattributes b/.gitattributes new file mode 100644 index 0000000..d7b82bc --- /dev/null +++ b/.gitattributes @@ -0,0 +1,4 @@ +*.txt text eol=lf +*.htm text eol=lf +*.html text eol=lf +*.md text eol=lf diff --git a/LICENSE.txt b/LICENSE.txt new file mode 100644 index 0000000..6312041 --- /dev/null +++ b/LICENSE.txt @@ -0,0 +1,11 @@ +This eBook, including all associated images, markup, improvements, +metadata, and any other content or labor, has been confirmed to be +in the PUBLIC DOMAIN IN THE UNITED STATES. + +Procedures for determining public domain status are described in +the "Copyright How-To" at https://www.gutenberg.org. + +No investigation has been made concerning possible copyrights in +jurisdictions other than the United States. Anyone seeking to utilize +this eBook outside of the United States should confirm copyright +status under the laws that apply to them. diff --git a/README.md b/README.md new file mode 100644 index 0000000..1e651cf --- /dev/null +++ b/README.md @@ -0,0 +1,2 @@ +Project Gutenberg (https://www.gutenberg.org) public repository for +eBook #62513 (https://www.gutenberg.org/ebooks/62513) diff --git a/old/62513-0.txt b/old/62513-0.txt deleted file mode 100644 index 6c39d49..0000000 --- a/old/62513-0.txt +++ /dev/null @@ -1,4331 +0,0 @@ -The Project Gutenberg EBook of Through British Guiana to the summit of -Roraima, by Mrs. Cecil Clementi - -This eBook is for the use of anyone anywhere in the United States and most -other parts of the world at no cost and with almost no restrictions -whatsoever. You may copy it, give it away or re-use it under the terms of -the Project Gutenberg License included with this eBook or online at -www.gutenberg.org. If you are not located in the United States, you'll have -to check the laws of the country where you are located before using this ebook. - -Title: Through British Guiana to the summit of Roraima - -Author: Mrs. Cecil Clementi - -Release Date: June 28, 2020 [EBook #62513] - -Language: English - -Character set encoding: UTF-8 - -*** START OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK THROUGH BRITISH GUIANA TO RORAIMA *** - - - - -Produced by MFR and the Online Distributed Proofreading -Team at https://www.pgdp.net (This file was produced from -images generously made available by The Internet Archive) - - - - - - - - - - -THROUGH BRITISH GUIANA TO THE SUMMIT OF RORAIMA - - - - -[Illustration: KAIETUK FALL. - -Frontispiece.] - - - - - THROUGH BRITISH - GUIANA TO THE - SUMMIT OF RORAIMA - - BY - MRS. CECIL CLEMENTI, M.B.E. - - WITH FOURTEEN ILLUSTRATIONS AND A MAP - - E. P. DUTTON AND COMPANY - 681 FIFTH AVENUE, NEW YORK - - _Printed in Great Britain_ - - _All rights reserved_ - - - - -CONTENTS - - - CHAPTER PAGE - - I. THE DEMERARA RIVER 11 - - II. THE ESSEQUEBO RIVER 29 - - III. THE POTARO DISTRICT 47 - - IV. THE POTARO GORGE 59 - - V. KAIETUK, MOTHER OF MISTS 71 - - VI. THE ASCENT TO THE HIGHLAND SAVANNAHS 89 - - VII. THE HIGHLAND SAVANNAHS OF BRITISH GUIANA 119 - - VIII. A CORNER OF BRAZIL 149 - - IX. THE VENEZUELAN APPROACH TO RORAIMA 183 - - X. RORAIMA, FATHER OF STREAMS 199 - - XI. THE RETURN JOURNEY 217 - - - - -LIST OF ILLUSTRATIONS - - - KAIETUK FALL _Frontispiece_ - - FACING PAGE - - THE DEMERARA RIVER: VIEW FROM THREE FRIENDS’ MINE ACROSS TO AKYMA 24 - - WATERSMEET OF COMMINGLED CUYUNI AND MAZARUNI RIVERS WITH ESSEQUEBO 31 - - MOUNT SAKWAI ON POTARO RIVER NEAR TUKEIT 62 - - WATERSMEET OF POTARO AND AMUK RIVERS AT AMATUK, SHOWING MOUNT - KENAIMA ON RIGHT AND MOUNT KUKUI IN CENTRE ABOVE RIVER-MIST 62 - - POTARO GORGE FROM KAIETUK 78 - - BARAMAKU SAVANNAH 113 - - MOUNT KOWATIPU FROM THE KARTO TABLELAND 128 - - WARATUK RAPIDS 172 - - OPAMAPÖ WATERFALL 172 - - FORDING THE KOTINGA RIVER 174 - - THE SOUTH-WEST FACE OF MOUNT RORAIMA, SHOWING THE TÖWASHING - PINNACLE 186 - - CAMP ON MOUNT RORAIMA 208 - - MOUNT WEITIPU FROM THE LEFT BANK OF THE KOTINGA RIVER 225 - - MAP OF ROUTE FROM HOLMIA TO MOUNT RORAIMA _at end_ - - - - -THROUGH BRITISH GUIANA TO THE SUMMIT OF RORAIMA - - - - -THE DEMERARA RIVER - - - - -CHAPTER I - -THE DEMERARA RIVER - - Men travel far to see a city, but few seem curious about a - river. Every river has, nevertheless, its individuality, its - great silent interest. Every river has, moreover, its influence - over the people who pass their lives within sight of its - waters.—H. S. MERRIMAN: _The Sowers_, chap. ii. - - -British Guiana, as first seen from the shoal-water near the Demerara -lightship, is a mournful and monotonous picture. Mud flats, fringed with -courida and mangrove, stretch endlessly along the shore. Never a hill -is to be seen. The coastal flats are four feet below the level of high -spring tides, and the Atlantic slops over the sea dams in yellow waves -of muddy water. The wide expanses of rich sugar-fields and smiling rice -lands begin about a mile from the seaside and stretch “aback” to the “wet -savannahs,” by means of which they are irrigated. These wet savannahs -are vast natural swamps converted artificially into shallow lakes by -“stopping off” their seaward outlets. South of them spreads “the bush,” -that great primeval forest so hostile to man, but sheltering in its -mysterious recesses a million varieties of insects, a multitude of beasts -and reptiles, and a wealth of bird life unequalled, perhaps, in any other -part of the world. - -Little, however, does the average colonist or the chance visitor to -British Guiana see of the wonder and beauty of South America. The forest -builds an impenetrable barrier, keeping him a close prisoner upon seaside -mud flats, which are in the main a dreary waste of uncultivated land. -Lack of labour renders it impossible for more than a small fraction -even of the coastal fringe to be made to yield its increase. A land the -size of England, Scotland, and Wales combined; a population equal to -that of Hertfordshire, and a cultivated area less than one-fifth the -size of Kent; a land for the greater part unknown and unsurveyed, whose -only roads extend along the seaboard and for a few miles up the banks -of its main rivers—such is British Guiana, ever since the close of the -Napoleonic Wars a possession of the British Crown, the only one in South -America, and rich in unexplored possibilities. - -But the colonists of British Guiana have never made any serious attempt -to investigate the interior of their heritage. Their revenue has always -been spent upon coastal development; and a conviction exists that the -interior is not only a death-trap, but also a wilderness of useless -jungle and sandy deserts. Many attempts were made to dissuade me from -venturing into it with my husband, and I was assured that I was risking -my health—nay, my life. But the call of the wild was too strong, and I -shall always be glad that I decided to go; for the fact that a woman has -traversed these forests and the highland prairies beyond during many -strenuous weeks and came back with health and vigour renewed may perhaps -dispel the legends accumulated about the horrors of “the bush,” and -induce people to investigate for themselves the charms and opportunities -of this neglected land, or at least to travel with us in spirit into -those great expanses of sleeping Nature which await the day of man’s -occupation. British Guiana lies, like the princess of the fairy-tale, in -an enchanted sleep. One day, surely, the fairy prince will come, mounted -upon an iron horse, and bid her awake! - -Two long years my husband and I lived continuously in Georgetown, at -the mouth of the Demerara River. Then, exhausted in mind and body by -the enervating atmosphere and dismal monotony of a tropical coast, near -the equator and below sea-level, we decided to spend a brief holiday in -exploring a part of the Colony’s interior hitherto blank upon the map, -hoping to find there some of that strength which cometh from the hills. -A journey up cataract-barred rivers and through primeval forests by -Indian trails was in itself an attractive prospect; but we had a still -more potent lure. On the 21st March, 1914, my husband had spent a day -at the Kaietuk Fall, and had gazed from the brink of the great chasm -into which the Potaro River there plunges, up its dreamy reaches towards -the forest-clad ridges that stand above the Arnik creek and away to -the towering, cliff-faced mass of Mount Kowatipu. It was then that he -resolved to visit some day the wonders which Nature might hold in the -forests and savannahs farther to the west and the south-west, and perhaps -even to make his way to that famous Mount Roraima, of which the residents -in British Guiana hear so much and see so little. Then, in October, -1915, he made the acquaintance of Mr. J. C. Menzies, whose occupation -as a diamond and gold prospector had carried him into distant parts of -our Colony’s interior. Mr. Menzies’ account of prairie tablelands at -high altitudes, to be reached by travelling a few days beyond Kaietuk, -and affording a view of Mount Roraima, where the boundaries of British -Guiana, Brazil, and Venezuela meet, and whence streams flow to the -Amazon, Orinoco, and Essequebo, determined us to attempt the journey -across those tablelands to that mountain of mystery. During the previous -seven years Mr. Menzies had frequently traversed the little-known and -unsurveyed part of the Colony that lies between the Potaro River and our -frontier with Brazil, and he had been greatly struck by the opportunities -for cattle-ranching afforded on its highland savannahs. He had, moreover, -bought and driven cattle from Brazil over the Ireng River into British -territory, where they wander freely under the nominal guardianship of -a tribe of Makusi Indians. He was therefore well qualified to make the -preliminary arrangements for the expedition which we had in mind, and he -very kindly agreed to place his experience unreservedly at our disposal -and to accompany us. His knowledge of our proposed route did not extend -beyond the Colony’s boundaries; but he felt sure that an Indian guide -could be found in one of the villages near the Ireng, who would be able -to lead us on to the goal of our hopes, Mount Roraima. - -We started on the 20th December, 1915, our first stage being by steamer -from Georgetown to Wismar, a small settlement sixty miles up the Demerara -River. The journey takes eight hours, and the scenery is not interesting. -For the most part the land on both sides is absolutely flat and screened -from the traveller by a dense fringe of jungle growth. Not that the -river-banks are entirely unoccupied; tenements and farms are dotted along -each bank for miles after the tall chimneys of the sugar factories are -left behind. Indeed, between Georgetown and Wismar there remains hardly -an acre of Crown land by the river-side, and the titles of some estates -date back to the year 1746, when the Dutch still ruled in Demerara. But -a former Governor of the Colony decreed that a belt, several yards wide, -should be reserved along the façade of all riverine grants, so that -his successors might be free, if so disposed, to make roads or build -wharfs on the river-bank. This untenanted strip of land was, of course, -rapidly overgrown with jungle, and the dense _mokka-mokka_ which grows -at the water’s edge makes a forbidding-looking fringe to the Demerara’s -yellow tide. This plant, a member of the arum family, is said to offer -an excellent paper-making material. It grows sometimes just above the -surface of the water, and sometimes reaches a height of thirty feet -or so, forming a happy sanctuary for birds of many kinds. Their nests -among the broad leaves, that clothe the thick stems rising straight out -of the water, are secure from snakes and such-like enemies. Once I saw -a tiny humming-bird, a veritable jewel of colour, seated on her minute -nest, regarding us trustfully as we paddled by. This was not, indeed, -on the banks of the Demerara, but during an expedition to one of the -wet-savannah conservancies already mentioned. She sat on her airy throne, -perched in the fork of a low _mokka-mokka_ stem, a few feet above the -wind-swayed rushes and broad lily leaves which cover the wide expanses on -each side of the water-paths, kept clear for boats. As we sat in our low -corial, her background was blue sky, and a prettier sight can scarcely be -imagined. - -The Demerara River has several large creeks, navigable by corials or even -motor-boats for many miles, but their mouths, screened by _mokka-mokka_ -plant, are mostly impossible to distinguish from the deck of a river -steamer. The only one of these streams I have explored is the Kamuni -creek, which my husband and I once visited in order to see the now almost -deserted Chinese settlement of Hopetown. Strange that such lonely jungle -should ever have had attractions for Chinese settlers! Everywhere broods -the heavy silence of the tropical “bush,” broken now and then by the whir -of a beetle or the cry of a bird swooping across the creek; nor does -this forest afford any variations of colour save in the intense green -of the overarching foliage, reflected leaf for leaf in the still, black -water. Now and then some glorious orchid decorates a decaying tree-trunk, -or the blossoms of some brilliant flowering creeper, fallen from the -distant tree-tops, float down the stream. Here and there a splendid blue -butterfly flits into the sunshine, and an occasional splash betrays an -alligator subsiding into a dark pool. - -The Hopetown Settlement, which was once a flourishing village engaged -chiefly in charcoal-burning, now consists only of a few hovels, thatched -with troolie palm, and of some ill-kept rice-fields, the one redeeming -feature being a nice wooden church. When we went in, there were flowers -on the altar, and a pair of Cantonese vases, which must wonder how they -got there. An aged Chinese catechist conducted the service, and a priest -visits the place at rare intervals. - -The people, I remember, welcomed us gladly, and were delighted to -hear a few words in Cantonese spoken by my husband. The whole village -accompanied us as we walked along the dam, which serves it both as a main -road and as a safeguard against inundation. We visited the “cultivation,” -but there was nothing satisfactory to be seen. A few miserable plantains, -a few poor cacao-bushes, untended and uncared for, was all we could -observe. A paddy-field, to which we were led, was merely a rough clearing -in the bush, the trees having been cut down, but the stumps left -standing, and no attempt was made to irrigate or drain. There had been -no manuring, nor, indeed, was there any sign of tillage. The sight was a -sad one to eyes accustomed to the smiling, carefully tended rice-fields -of China, with their neatly dammed divisions for conserving water, fields -from which the laborious Cantonese, by unceasing toil, reap their annual -reward of two rice harvests and one crop of “dry cultivation.” The -Hopetown settlers told us that they could only raise a rice crop from a -given area once in five years; but with care the land could, of course, -be made productive. The settlement possessed no animals; not even the -pig, so universal in China, was to be seen. In fact, the people evidently -lacked energy to make an effort to improve their condition. Most young -Chinese, desirous of better things, have doubtless discovered that by -going to Georgetown they can with thrift, industry, and the business -instincts of their race, find more promising openings for making a -livelihood, in trade or otherwise, than Hopetown offers. Hence only the -aged, the feeble, or the indolent, remain in the settlement; and Hopetown -no longer answers to its name, for little hope of its future is now left. - -The Chinese, however, came late in the story of the Demerara. Only Caribs -lived there in 1598, when the river was first made known to Europe by the -report of two Dutch ships that had cruised along the coast of Guiana, but -had not traded in the “Demirara,” because they were pressed for time, and -because the Caribs informed them that “not much was to be found there,” -and also, perhaps, chiefly “because their provisions were growing scant.” -In those days, maybe, there was a numerous Carib population hereabouts; -but the inhabitants are now a curious medley, almost amphibious, for -once the sugar estates are passed the river is their only road, and the -smallest child navigates his corial. The census of 1911 records that -only 8,101 people were in that year inhabiting the Demerara. Of these, -2,983 were blacks; 1,756 were East Indians; 1,741 were of mixed race; -124 were Chinese; 178 were Portuguese; and 48 were Europeans other than -Portuguese. Only 1,229—say 15 per cent. of the whole—were aborigines. -There is the history of British Guiana in a nutshell! A ceaseless -struggle to people from overseas an empty land! The Portuguese came from -Madeira. The blacks are descended from negro slaves brought here from -Africa by the Dutch West India Company. No black slaves were ever brought -to Demerara under British rule; for the slave trade was abolished by -Parliament in 1807, and this Colony did not become definitely British -until seven years later. The East Indians have all been introduced as -indentured labourers under a system of immigration which began in 1845 -and ended in 1917. They hail chiefly from Bengal and Madras. The Chinese -also came here under indenture, as the result of a scheme of immigration, -from Hong-Kong, Canton, and Amoy, which lasted from 1853 intermittently -until 1874, and was then discontinued. - -On the whole, the Lower Demerara is distinctly monotonous and void of -interest, but shortly below Wismar there are hints of better things. The -river, which at Georgetown is a mile wide, narrows considerably; the -banks rise on either side, crowned by big forest-trees, telling of their -mighty brethren in the far interior, and greenheart logs lie steeping in -the river, waiting to be shipped. They cannot be drifted downstream in -the usual fashion, as greenheart is heavier than water and does not float. - -Moreover, the river-water, previously an opaque yellow from the influx -of the tides that wash seas of mud along the British Guiana coasts, now -changes to the beautiful black “bush-water,” which, coming from the -forest depths, is darkly stained by vegetable matter held in suspension. -Sometimes it has a reddish tinge, and then again turns amber-coloured, -especially over sandy shallows. It makes a wonderful mirror for sky, -cloud, and tree, reflected in its sleeping depths; and it is quite safe -and pleasant to drink, when boiled. - -The township of Wismar on the Demerara River is the terminal point of -the small piece of railway built in 1896 by Sprostons Limited to cross -the divide, here less than nineteen miles wide, between the Demerara and -Essequebo Rivers. Close to the railway-station, alongside which is a -steamer wharf, cluster the police-station, post office, magistracy, and -a few shops. The train is a little toy affair, very dirty; the engine -burns wood fuel, and the sparks which fly from its funnel give as fine -a display of fireworks after nightfall as one could wish to see. They -are, however, somewhat dangerous. A case in point was the occasion when -Princess Marie-Louise travelled over the line in 1914. The train had been -specially decorated in her honour; but it had not proceeded more than -half a mile from Wismar before the sparks set all the decorations on -fire, and a halt was necessary in order to divest the passenger-coaches -of all combustible embellishments. - -Crossing the divide by motor-trolley is quite an agreeable experience, -especially in the cool of the evening, and the line is seen to better -advantage. The scenery, however, is disappointing. On the Essequebo side -of the water-parting, Sprostons have considerable timber-cutting grants, -to which they run branch lines. But near the main line all big trees have -long ago been cut down, and some years ago a terrible forest fire swept -down the divide, leaving behind it a desolation of stark and charred -tree-trunks, unlovely to look at. The soil is a white sand, dazzling in -the equatorial sunlight. - -Just above Wismar the Demerara Bauxite Company has begun mining -operations, and it is very interesting to visit the Company’s settlements -at Fair’s Rust and Akyma. Fair’s Rust is a mile above Wismar and can -be reached by ocean-going steamers, but the principal bauxite mines, -or rather quarries, are twelve miles farther up, where the low hills -consist of almost solid pink-coloured ore, once the overburden has been -removed. The Company pays great attention to the health of its employés: -good houses are built; bush is cleared away, and drainage and sanitation -carefully contrived. - -[Illustration: THE DEMERARA RIVER: VIEW FROM THREE FRIENDS’ MINE ACROSS -TO AKYMA. - -To face page 24.] - -A very pleasant way of accomplishing the journey to Wismar is to travel -as a guest of the Company in one of its comfortable motor-boats, starting -from Georgetown at about tea-time and following the silvery pathway of -the river, aglow in the setting sun; to anchor in the starlight and sleep -in the grateful coolness and velvet silence of the river night; to get -under way again in the dawn, and to reach the settlement at Akyma before -the full heat of the day. Especially is this delightful when such a -journey is but the first stage on towards all the glories of mountain and -river which lie awaiting those who venture to explore the wonders of an -unknown land. - - - - -THE ESSEQUEBO RIVER - - - - -CHAPTER II - -THE ESSEQUEBO RIVER - - Vainly does each, as he glides, - Fable and dream - Of the lands which the River of Time - Had left ere he woke on its breast, - Or shall reach when his eyes have been closed. - Only the tract where he sails - He wots of; only the thoughts, - Raised by the objects he passes, are his. - - MATTHEW ARNOLD: _The Future_. - - -The problem of improving the Colony’s lines of communication into the -interior may be said to be the problem of circumventing the Essequebo -River. For instance, it is the Essequebo and its tributary the Rupununi -which ought to form a natural highway across British Guiana to Brazil. -But the cattle-track, just opened to Georgetown from the Colony’s lowland -savannahs near the Brazilian border, studiously avoids the Essequebo, -which it touches only at Kurupukari, there crossing the river and leaving -it for good. Again, the Essequebo and its tributary the Cuyuni should -form the main avenue of approach from British Guiana to Ciudad Bolivar -on the Orinoco, in the heart of Venezuela. But it is very likely that, -when the time comes for linking this Colony to Venezuela by road or -railway, the line will but touch the Essequebo to bridge its estuary, -and then make across country to the Tumeremo savannahs. Similarly, the -problem of reaching Kaietuk and the highland savannahs of British Guiana -has now become the problem of avoiding the Essequebo. - -It is a tantalizing river. Twelve miles wide at its mouth; two miles wide -at Bartika, where the commingled Cuyuni and Mazaruni join it; and still -fully the same width at Rockstone, where the Demerara-Essequebo Railway -strikes it—nevertheless, its innumerable cataracts and rapids make it -a snare and an illusion to the navigator. In fact, the _raison d’être_ -of the Demerara-Essequebo Railway is to short-circuit the extremely -dangerous series of cataracts between Rockstone and Bartika, in which -many lives have been lost. By crossing the low divide between the two -rivers, the traveller reaches the Essequebo at Rockstone, well above -these dangers. He then has a navigable stretch of sixty miles before him -to Tumutumari. - -[Illustration: WATERSMEET OF COMMINGLED CUYUNI AND MAZARUNI RIVERS WITH -ESSEQUEBO. - -To face page 31.] - -This short-circuit, however, misses some interesting country. At Bartika, -thirty miles below Rockstone, the commingled Cuyuni and Mazaruni Rivers -flow into the Essequebo, and very beautiful is the watersmeet of the -three stately streams. On one hand, the shining waters of the Cuyuni -invite one, as the morning mists roll away, to follow its gleaming track -to Venezuela; whilst, on the other, Mazaruni, “black water,” as its -Indian name implies, though flecked with spume from its dread cataracts, -has lured on many a diamond-seeker to the very shadow of Roraima’s -unscalable precipices. - -Amid the mingling Mazaruni and Cuyuni, with a clear view down to the -Essequebo, lies Kyk-over-all, a tiny island, where the earliest Dutch -settlers lived in a fort, whose picturesque ruins still remain. These -hardy pioneers established themselves here as early as the opening years -of the seventeenth century, and traded with the Indians chiefly in anatto -dye. To “see over all” was indeed a necessity for that tiny handful of -white men, whose sole connection with Europe, civilization, and succour -was but one solitary ship in a year! The Dutch also established a -settlement at Kartabo, a bamboo-crowned point on the nearest mainland, -about half a mile away, whence a speedy flight to the fort could be made -in case of danger descried. Kartabo Point lies exactly between Mazaruni -and Cuyuni, and here the New York Zoological Society hopes to establish -a permanent research station under Dr. William Beebe, who considers the -neighbourhood a paradise from the naturalist’s point of view. - -Within sight, a few miles downstream, His Majesty’s Penal Settlement -affords to the convicts all that Nature can offer to cheer their toil! -There is naturally no stone in the silted mud flat on which lies the -inhabited part of British Guiana; but the excellent granite of which the -hills near the Settlement are composed forms the quarry whence all the -stone used on the coast has been obtained. Convict labour has also built -a dry-dock adjacent to the prison. - -I have never been beyond Kartabo on the Mazaruni, but I remember a -delightful expedition up the Cuyuni to Matope. We started from the Penal -Settlement in the delicious freshness of the early morning, and were -carried by the big prison launch to the foot of the Camaria rapids, -where there is a road-portage of three miles. “Jack” and “Jill,” two -panting Ford lorries, conveyed us with many bumps and jerks over the -uneven, hilly road. A prison gang was out “improving” the road-surface -by shovelling loose sand into the ruts. Their work looked very nice, -and certainly had not exhausted or overheated the dusky road-menders; -but poor “Jack” and “Jill” found sand-filled ruts more than they could -bear and constantly stuck fast, whilst their boiling radiators protested -noisily with spurts of angry steam, and “all man” found assisting them -out again distinctly more strenuous than road-mending. Next I have -memories of a long, lazy afternoon, when, embarked once more, we puffed -and panted slowly upstream from Camaria, or else drifted in lazy silence -on the bosom of the big sleepy river, whilst our out-board motor refused -to function. The delightful blue hills on each bank of the Cuyuni seemed -shouldering each other aside to catch a glimpse of the unaccustomed life; -and the exquisite peace made me wish “ever to seem falling asleep in a -half-dream,” until the diabolical spitting and puffing reasserted itself -and restored me to reality again. - -We managed to reach Matope before dusk in spite of many breakdowns. Here, -amid tree-crowned rocks, the river swirls down in fifteen separate -cataracts; and, in the days of Wenamu and Pigeon Island gold booms, -Matope rest-house, post office, and bond-store were established on the -two most accessible islets, and a launch service plied thither. We were -joyously greeted by the black officer in charge of the station, who -proudly displayed to us the attractions of his lonely little domain and -ferried us in the gathering dusk—for twilight is, alas! unknown in the -tropics—across to the rest-house island, a most enchanting spot. Here, -after the bustle of disembarkation and the long, hot day, a bathe in the -cool, soft river water, like cream to the skin, was delightful indeed, -though it had to be accompanied by a furious splashing to frighten the -_pirai_, an unpleasant flesh-eating fish that nips off the fingers -and toes of the unwary ere they know it. Then, lulled by the musical -roar of the cataracts, we slept soundly until, at 3 a.m., the “howling -baboons” howled. To anyone who has never heard these creatures it is -perhaps impossible to convey any idea of this marvellous sound. The South -American baboons have howling bones in their throats, and at a distance -of some miles their “howl” sounds merely like a storm-wind soughing -through distant tree-tops; but, when they are close at hand, the whole -air is alive with the din, so that you cannot tell from which direction -it proceeds. Every nerve in your body tingles, and there is a curious -fascination in the great volume of sound, which used to remind me dimly -of the boom of the big temple-bell through the cryptomeria groves of -far-distant Japan. - -Near Matope, on a hill-shoulder on the right bank of the river, stand -the ruins of the house in which the government gold officer of the -district used to live in the days of the big gold rushes. He must have -had a charming abode. We explored remains of a lovely garden terraced -in the hill-side. Beautiful clumps of feathery bamboo framed delicious -views of sky, river, and forest, adream in the golden sunlight; whilst -bougainvillea, oleander, and petrea made the foreground a riot of -colour. But Nature in tropical climates pursues her task of blotting -out the works of man with surprising swiftness. The house, a wooden -structure of the usual Creole type, had fallen to pieces inside under the -influence of wood-ants, and its three stories were filled with a glorious -alamander-bush, thrusting its golden blossoms everywhere, filling all -the deserted space, and forcing its way out over the roof. - -Doubtless one day in the far-distant future these lovely reaches of -river will be colonized. Plantations of limes, coffee, and rubber will -replace the all-enveloping forests, and managers’ houses will crown the -little hills. Although so close to the equator, the sun in British Guiana -has little of its eastern fierceness and the climate is wonderfully -healthy, if elementary principles of hygiene and sanitation are observed. -Once away from the mosquito-ridden coastal swamps, our experience has -always been that we can expose and exert ourselves in a way that would -be impossible in the East, and I believe that on these inviting hills -white men, with wives and children, could live in health and comfort. -Communications are needed; motor-roads to run through the forest -connecting the settler with civilization and his neighbours. One pioneer, -Mr. G. B. Withers, has cleared and planted with rubber the hills on the -Mazaruni opposite the Penal Settlement, and has constructed a motor-road -through the forest to connect his estate with the Agatash Lime Plantation -on the Essequebo above Bartika. No metalling was necessary, since the -forest floor, once cleared of stumps, makes an admirable surface. All the -big forest trees have been left standing, only the “under-bush” being -removed, for shade thus prevents the swift upspringing of vegetable -growth which would occur in any place exposed to the direct rays of the -tropical sun. Cool even at midday, with hats and helmets removed to enjoy -the delicious shade, to drive along these cleverly-aligned gradients is a -treat indeed; and one dreams of the transformation which might be wrought -by motor transport in this unopened land. - -But the day of motor-roads into the interior has not yet come, and we -reached Rockstone on our journey to Roraima by railway from Wismar. -At Rockstone the great width of the Essequebo is disguised, as almost -everywhere else, by islands; for immediately opposite the railway -terminus is Gluck Island, fully seven miles long, in whose marshy -jungle the Victoria Regia lily was originally found. Apart from the -railway-station, the only other building there is a pleasant little -bungalow hotel, in which we spent the night. The full moon over the -Essequebo was very pretty. - -We started upstream from Rockstone at 6.30 a.m. on the 21st December, -1915, and arranged ourselves for a long day’s occupation of the _Ark_, -a primitive sort of house-boat, towed alongside the motor-launch which -plies regularly, when the state of the river permits, between Rockstone -and Tumatumari. The launch was a terribly noisy affair, and even in the -dignified seclusion of our _Ark_ we could not hear ourselves speak. -However, once comfortably established in hammocks, we could lose -ourselves in our books. One of the most important parts of an outfit for -a bush journey, and certainly one that requires very careful thought, -is the choice of one’s library; for who would dream of starting, like -Musset’s _Ninon_, “en voyage sans livre”? You want, first of all, books -that contain a good deal of reading matter in them, so that you may not -run through the pages too quickly; and the more they afford of piquant -contrast to the surroundings you are likely to encounter, the better; -whilst an enduring charm will be thrown for you over any favourite work -which has accompanied you across hill and dale and cheered hours of -weary waiting in the rain, or of provoking delays on the part of the -food commissariat. Sir George Trevelyan’s _Life and Letters_ of that -most delightful of men, Lord Macaulay, Macaulay’s Essays, _Kim_ and -_Vanity Fair_, have all acquired for me a peculiar and indescribable -flavour, since this or that passage recalls some incident of travel or -lazy hammock hours in river and forest, when, as supper was a-preparing -or the pit-pat of rain beat on our tent-roof, I lay luxuriating in the -delightfulness of freshly-donned, dry footgear and in the anticipation of -“pigtail soup.” - -The Essequebo was unusually low on this occasion, and the silver -sand-reefs jutted out of the water like bones. At midday we were stopped -by the Kopano sands, which forbade further progress. Here we waited a -long three hours for a smaller launch, the _Nelly_, which was expected -downstream from Tumatumari to discharge her crowd of “balata-bleeders” -and “pork-knockers” into our bigger launch for their return journey _via_ -Rockstone to the joys of a Christmas in civilization. We found the time -long, in spite of lunch, Lord Macaulay, and the view of a flat-topped -hill known as the Arosaro Mountain, a welcome sight to eyes that had -scarcely seen any rising ground for two years. It is a low forest-clad -hill with a flat top and cliff-edges, the first sounding of the Roraima -_leit-motif_. We were, however, anxious to reach Tumatumari that night, -for we knew that the _Ark_ must be left behind with the big launch, while -the tarpaulins and camp gear, that would have made a bivouac on the -river-bank tolerable, had preceded us by some days with our stores. At 3 -p.m. we welcomed the sight of a puff of dark smoke on the wide stretch -of smooth, still water before us; but it was close on 4 p.m. before our -transhipment was complete and our fate committed to the launch _Nelly_. -She was quite unspeakable—filthy dirty, with a shocking vibration—but -we were thankful enough when she did vibrate, for the hateful little -thing constantly broke down and floated helplessly on the vast expanse -of desolate water, as we anxiously scanned the lingering daylight, the -while an unhappy son of Ham wrestled in vain with his engine. My husband -managed to sling a hammock for me inside the launch, and that was a great -comfort; but the noise was excruciating. The coxswain, a nice fellow -called Lekha, half East Indian and half black, said his orders were to -get us through, if possible, but that Crabbu Falls could not be run in -the dark. As he spoke, the vixenish launch broke down again, and required -half an hour’s patching up. A little later the engines stopped once more -for a quarter of an hour. We felt rather miserable, as a more comfortless -place in which to spend the night than that abominable little _Nelly_ -could hardly be imagined, and no food was available, save tea and the -remains of a cake, with some slabs of chocolate which I fortunately had -handy; so we were now pretty hungry. By 6.30 p.m. it was dark. Rich, -fresh, sweet scents were wafted to us from the banks; but, though the -moon rose beautifully at 7 p.m., she hid her fickle light soon afterwards -behind a cloud-bank. However, our cox was a real good fellow. By help of -a very feeble light from the dimmed moon, he got us safely through Tigri -Rapids—a tortuous race between rocks—and at about 8.30 p.m. we got to -the foot of Crabbu Falls. Here another launch, the _Potaro_, was waiting -to help us up the rapid, and the blazing crude oil of her engines made -the night a weird _inferno_ of noise and glare. She was lying near a -sandy spit; and, when _Nelly_ got alongside her, we managed to push out a -plank, scrambled ashore, and strolled about to stretch our cramped limbs. -There was a banaboo of Patamona Indians near by, whose inhabitants came -out silently to watch at a safe distance our strange proceedings. The -flickering light of the burning oil lit up their dusky figures uncannily. - -At length the moon, which was full, cleared somewhat, and Lekha decided -to risk the attempt of climbing the rapid. _Nelly_ and _Potaro_ were -lashed side by side and, steaming together, were to surmount the rapid. -But the first attempt failed. We steamed up, gaining ground inch by -inch, till, just as we were at the crest of the rapid, _Nelly’s_ engines -stopped again, and we had to slide back. Next time, however, _Potaro_ -made the attempt towing _Nelly_ as dead-weight, and just did it. Lekha -then said that _Potaro_ drew too much water to continue safely upstream, -as she might hit on a sand-bank. But I declared that I would prefer -any fate to that of returning to _Nelly_; and Lekha, who was really a -sportsman, agreed to transfer our few belongings to the bigger launch -and take us on. Two miles above Crabbu Falls we entered the mouth of -the Potaro River, and puffed our hesitating way over its black course, -the moon having disappeared again as soon as she had seen us safely -surmount the rapid. Darkness, of course, hid from us the lovely view of -blue mountain ranges, which we have subsequently seen from Potaro mouth, -hills which verily looked to us the “delectable mountains.” We reached -Tumatumari, ten miles up the Potaro, shortly before midnight, as tired as -dinnerless folk well could be; but that was the only really unpleasant -day of all our forty days in the wilderness. - -Such an experience naturally prompts the question: Is there no better way -of getting from Georgetown to the Potaro? Cannot this section also of the -Essequebo be circumvented? Yes, a better way has been found, but it has -not yet been made available for public use. There already exist eighteen -and a half miles of railway from Vreed-en-hoop, on the Demerara River, -opposite Georgetown, to Parika, on the Essequebo estuary. There also -exists a much-neglected road, 67 miles long, built years ago by prison -labour, from Bartika to the Kaburi gold-fields. It is now proposed to -extend the railway for a distance of some thirty-four miles from Parika -to a point opposite Bartika; and the trace has also been cut of a road -extension from Kaburi to a place known as Garraway’s Landing, on the -Potaro. The total distance from Bartika to Garraway’s Landing would be -about a hundred miles; and, if this route were made available for motor -traffic, it would be possible with suitable arrangements to make the -journey by train from Georgetown to Bartika and onwards by motor-car from -Bartika to the Potaro River in a single day between sunrise and sunset. -Such a line of communication would be a boon to the colonists both at -Bartika and on the Potaro River, besides being a great step towards -bringing the Kaietuk plateau within reach; and I hope the day may not be -far distant when its construction will be taken in hand. - - - - -THE POTARO DISTRICT - - - - -CHAPTER III - -THE POTARO DISTRICT - - Quid non mortalia pectora cogis, - Auri sacra fames? - - VIRGIL: _Æneid_, iii. 56. - - -Tumatumari is a formidable cataract with rocky islands amidst its -swirling rush of waters. The name is said to mean “as hot as pepper.” -All river traffic, whether upstream or downstream, is stopped by this -obstacle, and a portage between the lower and the upper landing must -be made over about half a mile of good cart-road. On the right bank -stands a nice wooden bungalow, belonging to Sprostons, built on a bluff -overlooking the river. There are also several other houses, including a -land office, a police-station and a post office, in this little outpost; -and many “bucks,” as the aborigines are called in local parlance, live -in the neighbourhood. From a point just above the cataract Sprostons -run a launch service for another ten miles upstream past Garraway’s -Landing to a place known as Potaro Landing, and there all public service -ends. Potaro Landing is the northern terminus of a cart-road, about -twenty-three miles long, running between the Potaro and Konawaruk Rivers -and serving the Minnehaha Gold Mining Company’s settlement. It runs as a -sort of Nile through a desert of dense forest. - -Great is the energy of the white man! In lands where all Nature cries to -him, “Be still; do not exert yourself; keep a dry skin!” and where she -relentlessly obliterates with importunate veils of quick-springing jungle -all traces of his efforts, if ever he suspends them, he nevertheless -pursues his way, dragging his machinery, and defying the mosquito! But -in British Guiana he is hopelessly handicapped by want of labour. What -can he do, if he cannot command the hands effectually to conquer the -wilderness, to roll back the jungle, to plant and tend and reap? - -The road up from the river-side at Potaro Landing is wide, but -excessively bad. It begins by climbing up a hill of loose sand, in which -the heated wayfarer toils along ankle-deep, save where a very rough -corduroy of timber changes the form of his penance. Even the fortunate -occupant of a dogcart is little better off, for the jarring to one’s -spine as the wheels jolt from log to log is almost more than body and -bones can endure. After the first seven miles the road-surface changes -and becomes ironstone gravel, good enough to permit motor traffic, -provided one does not set too much store by the springs of the car. From -the road there are interesting glimpses of the black cliffs of Eagle -Mountain and another range of grim precipices, frowning like prison -walls on either hand. The valley, thus shut in, is intensely hot. The -soil is fertile, and limes especially thrive, though all cultivation -is precarious, when established on an oasis, amid the jungle, and thus -woefully exposed to the depredations of birds and cushie ants. These ants -frequently clear a patch of cultivation in a single night of every blade -of greenstuff. - -When, in 1917, we visited the hospitable manager of the Minnehaha Company -at his house, situated near the tenth milestone of the road, there was -a big dredge at work washing gold in Mahdia creek at “Nine Miles,” and -another was in process of being shifted from “Fifteen Miles” to a point -lower down the Minnehaha creek, near the twentieth mile-post. The Company -also maintains a comfortable and picturesque bungalow at “Eighteen -Miles.” Near the fifteenth mile you cross the divide between the Potaro -and Konawaruk Rivers, and the road then runs along the banks of the -Minnehaha creek. This once was a picturesque stream, but the washing -for gold has discoloured it and altered its course. A track branches -off from “Fifteen Miles” and runs up into the Eagle Mountain, where -quartz-mining operations had just been begun when war broke out and work -was unavoidably suspended. - -The administrative headquarters of the district are at the eleventh -mile, where the Government maintains a court-house, a police-station, -and a dispensary. Several shops are dotted at intervals along the -road, and more than one church. Nor must I omit to mention the “Potaro -Library,” an imposing-looking shed consisting of side-posts, a roof, -and a floor, and proclaiming its title in large letters, but (apart -from the total absence of all books) a somewhat strange building to -enjoy the title of “library.” I understand it is frequently used for -dancing. The shopkeepers of the Potaro Road and, I believe, in all the -Colony’s gold districts are Chinese. I shut my eyes and imagined the -difference that would be wrought in that desolate scene if a million or -so of their almond-eyed brethren could be transported hither. How would -the wilderness blossom as a rose, air and light enter, where reigns -mosquito-breeding jungle, and the fertile land smile with all that maketh -glad the heart of man! Now, if you bump over the excruciating corduroy -and the large stones embedded in the road, and especially if light is -fading and darkness gathering, the melancholy of the long, dreary, -winding way, with its scattered settlements and struggling clearings, -penetrates your very bones and gives you a sensation of physical disquiet. - -I have, nevertheless, very pleasant recollections of the Potaro District -and of the cheery hospitality of the Company’s manager and his three or -four white assistants, chiefly New Zealanders. Their pluck, good spirits, -and eagerness in their work made a vivid impression on my mind, as did -the interesting process of gold-washing, which we observed on Mahdia -creek. The dredge-buckets bring up quantities of yellow mud from the -bed of the stream, and this mud is washed by water along a sort of wide -gutter with gratings across the bottom. The gold-bearing matter, being -heavier than the rest, gravitates down through the gratings on to coconut -matting sprinkled with quicksilver. This process is called “washing -up.” When it has continued for a considerable time, the coconut mattings -are carefully washed and beaten, and all that comes out, including the -quicksilver, which has charged itself with the gold particles, is again -washed through a box by a jet of water. The box has three layers of -plush in it, and the water is strained through these layers. The residue -is very fine black dust, from which the gold-bearing quicksilver is -carefully separated and carried off to be smelted. This process is called -“streaming down.” - -From the manager’s bungalow at the tenth mile a very pleasant alternative -route back to Tumatumari, avoiding the launch trip, is to ride over the -seventeen miles of Tiger creek trail. This trail was opened as a bridle -track for the accommodation of the “pork-knockers,” who washed Tiger -creek for gold, at one time very profitably, though the “placers” are -now worked out. A branch line, also made up as a bridle track, goes off -from this trail to St. Mary’s, on the Konawaruk River, where the British -Guiana Gold Mining Company have dredges at work. The ride is delightful, -if one be mounted on a sure-footed mule. The forest trees are veritable -giants, and their deep shadow prevents the suffocating undergrowth -from springing up. The line, when we rode over it, was clean, and all -bridges were in good repair. It is absolutely cool even at midday in -the exquisite shade, and we enjoyed charming little views, where the -path wound pleasantly up and down small hills. At times it runs beside -the deep pools of beautiful Tiger creek and its picturesque slides of -amber water and creamy foam. Being mounted, we had the pleasure, rare to -travellers in the bush, of looking about us instead of being obliged to -watch our feet carefully all the time, or pay the penalty by a stumble. -Thus I caught sight of an ant-bear, and we observed that remarkable -animal, with its enormous tail and long snout, ambling along on the -hill-side below us for quite fifty yards. It appears that ant-bears are -bold creatures and fear nothing, as everything else takes care to give -them a wide berth. Though they only eat ants, they have a way of rising -on their hind legs, gripping an adversary with their inturned front -claws, and then tearing him open with their hinder ones. Big ant-bears -have been known to do this to men. - -When the time comes to improve communications in this part of the Colony, -the Potaro River will doubtless be bridged at Garraway’s Landing, -where it is only 300 feet wide. Then a line will be cut to join the -Potaro-Konawaruk Road at “Two Miles”; and from this second mile-post -another road will branch off to rejoin the river and climb to Kaietuk and -the highland country beyond, up the wonderful Potaro Gorge. - -To-day a trail leads away into the forest westwards from “Two Miles,” -where a rough sign-board proudly points the way “To Kaieteur.”[1] Gladly -does the wayfarer step into the restful shade after the glare of white -sand on the cart-road, and grateful indeed is the cool springiness of the -leaf-strewn forest floor. After five miles along this trail, where from -time to time the roar of unseen cataracts breaks the silence, the path -emerges on Potaro bank once more, at a place known as Kangaruma. Here, on -a low hill immediately above the river, is a small clearing with a wooden -rest-house, belonging to Sprostons, a couple of Indian troolie-sheds, and -some provision-fields. - -It is on account of the long series of rapids below Kangaruma that the -portage of seven miles from Potaro Landing has to be made, and the -river’s big loop to the north is also thus circumvented. - -When travelling up the Potaro Gorge we have always sent our stores on -ahead of us to Kangaruma, and arranged for our Indian carriers, or -_droghers_, to await us there. Then from this spot one fairly “pulls out -on the Long Trail, the trail that is always new.” - - - - -THE POTARO GORGE - - - - -CHAPTER IV - -THE POTARO GORGE - - He lured her away so far, - Past so many a wood and valley and hill, - That now, would you know where they are? - In a bark on a silver stream, - As fair as you see in a dream. - - A. O’SHAUGHNESSY: _Zuleika_. - - -Once the stores are all safely packed in the tent-boat, the paddlers -established on their thwarts, and after the last wild rush up the bank -to secure some precious, almost forgotten article, such as kettle or -saucepan, how delightful it is to feel that at length one is off into -the very heart of the wilderness! The soothing splash of the paddles is -inexpressibly welcome after the din of launch travel, and we surrender -ourselves to the enjoyment of the big restful silence and unchanging -peace of the dreamy forest-wrapped river, and to delightful anticipation -of wonders to come. - -On the journey to Roraima, we left Kangaruma in the afternoon of 22nd -December, 1915. Our party consisted, besides Mr. Menzies and ourselves, -of Haywood, our black cook, a most excellent and capable fellow, and of -fourteen aborigines. Scanning the expressionless bronze figures of these -Indians as they paddled steadily upstream, I speculated on what manner -of men they might be, these dwellers amid trees and waters, whose home -lies in the very bosom of Nature, and who look to her alone to supply all -their needs. Nine of them came from the Demerara River, and the remaining -five were Makusis from the highlands whither we were bound. Two of these -five—Johnny and Thomas by name—were headmen of Puwa, a village near the -Ireng River and close to the Brazilian frontier. The Makusis were good -fellows and did yeomen service; but the natives of the Demerara River, -as we discovered to our cost, were an idle and worthless set. They had -already suffered the contaminating effects of civilization, and great -were the delays and annoyance we had to endure from them, until we -were able to exchange them for the willing and athletic Makusis of the -highlands. - -Above Kangaruma stretch some seventeen miles of smooth water to Amatuk, -where once more the roar and rush of a cataract break on the river’s -repose. Amatuk is a delightfully pretty place. The Potaro here is -joined by the Amuk creek, and then rushes in two cataracts round a -rocky tree-crowned island, swirling out, all foam-beflecked, into a bay -below. In the centre of the right-hand cataract, down which the great -bulk of the water flows, there is a sheer drop of some thirty feet, and -a fountain of white foam leaps upward. On a low knoll, looking over -the bay and immediately above the left-hand cataract, stands another -wooden rest-house. This knoll has been cleared of the dense bush, which -dominates all else, and delicious English bracken grows freely on its -sandy slopes. - -We arrived by starlight; and, whilst the baggage was being carried up to -the rest-house and supper made ready, I lay in my hammock watching an -exquisite moon rising from out the million tree-tops of the forest, with -a foreground of dimly shining river. The music of falling water filled -the air, and the stars gleamed like great lamps hung athwart the night. -Wherever we may in future travel, a hammock shall always accompany me. It -enables one to be made as comfortable as possible in two minutes, though -for sleeping at nights we must confess to being luxurious enough to -require camp-beds. To our delight, we each of us needed a warm blanket -that night; and, when you have scarcely used the lightest blanket for two -years, it is a real luxury to enjoy a good heavy one again. Rain fell all -night long, and at dawn heavy mist-wreaths lay about the hills. - -[Illustration: MOUNT SAKWAI ON POTARO RIVER NEAR TUKEIT.] - -[Illustration: WATERSMEET OF POTARO AND AMUK RIVERS AT AMATUK, SHOWING -MOUNT KENAIMA ON RIGHT AND MOUNT KUKUI IN CENTRE ABOVE RIVER-MIST. - -To face page 62] - -Amatuk is the gateway to the beautiful Kaietuk Gorge. Looking upstream -from the bay below the fall, we saw towering on one side the peak of -Kenaima Mountain, and on the other side the vertical cliff-face of Mount -Kukui. Just above Amatuk the Potaro emerges from between these mountains, -and is at once joined from the right by the Amuk creek, which also flows -in a narrow gorge, so blocked by huge boulders and so difficult of access -that it has never yet been explored. Streams, which are almost better -spoken of as cascades, spring down the faces of the cliffs, gleaming like -white threads against the red sandstone. Another hint is thus given of -the Roraima _leit-motif_ which rules the land. We had, indeed, throughout -our wanderings the impression of a mighty symphony. The wondrous Kaietuk -Fall was the first movement whose introduction began with Amatuk. -Thereafter we realized that several days of river and forest journey -were but the transition passages to a movement of shining tablelands, -whose jasper-bedded rivers repeat everywhere the same _leit-motif_, -though with a myriad tiny variations, for all the streams of the highland -savannahs tumble in cascades down vertical faces into a succession of -pools, while long-sought-for and much-dreamt-of Roraima, with his cliffs -over a thousand feet in height rising out of primeval forest, standing on -his pedestal of rolling savannah uplands, with waterfalls leaping from -his mysterious flat-topped summit, forms a magnificent résumé and finale -of the whole. - -Next morning, whilst the stores and baggage were being portaged from -the bay below Amatuk to another boat moored above the falls, we had -leisure to study the beauty of the cataract. The river was low, so we -made our way to the edge of the water over rocks generally covered by -the rushing stream as it changes from the normal dark—almost black—flow -of its peaceful progress to the amber swirl and creamy spray of coming -excitement. These diabase rocks are all flat-topped and deeply fissured, -and they contain here and there curious “jigs,” made by pebbles swept -round and round in some tiny whirlpool, till, as the long ages pass, -they dig for themselves deep circular holes. These “jigs” are eagerly -explored by the diamond prospectors, as sometimes they contain precious -stones. I baled out one such deep, dark hole with the help of a Makusi, -and obtained a plateful of extremely pretty pebbles, all tiny and -agleam with many different colours, rose-red, turquoise-blue, pieces of -malachite-green, and many a shining speck of quartz to raise my hopes. I -felt that to be the actual winner of a real diamond, however small, would -be a delightful experience; but my pebbles, although pronounced by the -authority of Mr. Menzies and Haywood to be “good diamond indication,” did -not, in spite of their intrinsic beauty, harbour any stray speck of real -value. Nevertheless, I feel that diamonds will always have an added charm -for me when I think of them as gifts from that lovely land of unknown -streams and as the ornaments of Nature herself. - -We spent a delightful three hours paddling upstream to the next portage -at Waratuk, surrounded by the wonderful scenery of the gorge. Rain fell -in little misty veils of shower; and exquisite forest fragrance, wafted -to us from the banks, was strong enough to overpower even the smell of -salt beef and pork which emanated from our provisions. Potaro here flows -between flat-topped cliffs towering on both sides about a thousand feet -above their own reflections, mirrored in the black water. The hidden -bases of the hills are clothed in forest, while their sides are grim -precipices, revealing overhangs of castellated rock and toppling crags -with great fissures and clefts, wild and wondrous to behold. - -At about noon we reached Waratuk, where another portage is necessary. -This is a much smaller cataract than Amatuk. In fact, at high river, -boats going downstream can run it, whereas no one would dream of running -Amatuk, in the centre of which is a vertical drop. On the right bank at -Waratuk stands a little shelter with corrugated iron roof, supported by -wallaba posts. Under its cover we lunched, or rather took “breakfast,” as -the midday meal is invariably called in this Colony; and at 2 p.m., when -all our stores had been portaged, we set off again in another smaller -craft known as the “parson’s boat,” used by the Church of England for the -missionaries who at one time travelled up the Potaro to mission-stations, -now abandoned. - -From Waratuk to Tukeit was two hours’ paddling. The shining lazy river, -lying half asleep between its sentinel hills, seemed already to have -forgotten the wild leap over Kaietuk. But from our boat we caught several -glimpses of the Kaietuk cliff, which bars the end of the gorge, and we -could just see that corner of the fall itself which is nearest the left -bank. - -The river is studded by rocky islets, and the stunted trees growing -thereon are often literally laden with long bags of woven sticks which -are the mocking-birds’ nests. At high river I once counted seventeen on -one small tree, which appeared to rise straight out of the water, its -rock pedestal being entirely submerged. - -Above Tukeit the river is a series of racing cataracts, curiously broken -by deep, still pools, where the main current would appear to flow beneath -the surface. It is, of course, an entirely unnavigable piece of water, -and to pursue the valley on foot to the base of the mighty Kaietuk -precipice is an enterprise of extreme difficulty, not to say danger. -Masses of giant boulders make progress all but impossible; and, save at -very low river, the attempt could not be made. The Potaro has therefore -to be abandoned until some miles above Kaietuk, and no full view of the -waterfall from below is obtainable along the present line of ascent. - -Sprostons have made a little clearing at Tukeit, and have put up a wooden -rest-house on the left bank of the river, about a hundred yards from the -water. The forest closes in densely all round, so that the place has no -view, and besides being very stuffy, it is full of big biting cow-flies. -It is not a pleasant spot to spend a night in; but nevertheless, when -encumbered by baggage, one cannot with the existing means of transport -get up from Amatuk on to the Kaietuk plateau in one day. On the opposite -side of the river, however, there is an excellent camping-ground on -a beach of shining silver sand, and a rocky dell at the forest edge, -watered by the clear, cold Tukeit stream dropping from the cliff-tops a -thousand feet above, offers delightful refuge in the heat of the day. So, -if time were no object, a camp on Tukeit sands for fishing would be an -agreeable interlude in a “bush” journey. The very deep, still pools of -the river near by are a favourite haunt of _haimara_, which are excellent -eating. These fish sometimes grow very large, and Indians wading in the -pools are on occasion savagely bitten by them. The aborigines usually -obtain fish by shooting them with bow and arrow. This they do with much -skill and dexterity. - -But who would delay at Tukeit when Kaietuk calls? We must be up and on! - - - - -KAIETUK, MOTHER OF MISTS - - - - -CHAPTER V - -KAIETUK, MOTHER OF MISTS - - The cataracts blow their trumpets from the steep. - - W. WORDSWORTH: _Ode_. - - -There were showers at dawn, but these had passed over when we started -from Tukeit in the early morning to climb up on to the Kaietuk plateau. -The existing forest trail, after leaving Tukeit, traverses some low -foot-hills, and then rises sharply to cross the Washibaru creek. Next -follows another steep ascent to the Korumê creek, which is bridged by -_tacoubas_ at a point whose Indian name has been translated as the -“Devil’s Mother’s Pillars.” Here the country is very broken, and the -whole channel of the Korumê has been strewn with large boulders that -completely hide the water from sight. It would seem probable that in time -past cliffs stood on both sides of this gorge, and that they crumbled -inwards, so blocking the exit of the Korumê, which, nevertheless, has -burrowed a way underneath the rocks and hurries down in a very abrupt -cataract to the Potaro. From the Devil’s Mother’s Pillars there is an -exceedingly steep climb, with a gradient resembling in places a ladder -rather than a road, until the edge of the Kaietuk plateau is reached at -a tree on which the word “Amen” has been cut. Gossip has it that on one -occasion a respected colonist was hoisted up to this point, two Indians -pulling him with a rope in front and two more pushing him behind. He lay -down under this tree almost at his last gasp; and, while he recovered -breath, his companion cut the word “Amen” in the trunk. It certainly is -a villainous climb, especially in rainy weather, when the moss-covered -stepping-stones are wet and slippery, and it does not improve with -acquaintance. From Amen Point the forest trail runs along a ridge more -or less level for another couple of miles or so to the Kaietuk savannah, -with the precipitous gorge of the Potaro on one side and the deep-cut -valley of the Korumê on the other. The Indians say that this path -originated in a track by which otters descended from the Upper to the -Lower Potaro; and, whether this be so or not, the line is certainly quite -unsuitable for human traffic even on foot. - -The whole trail runs always in forest, never affording any view of the -Kaietuk Falls or of anything save the vista of tree-trunks immediately -ahead. Big boulders lie scattered pell-mell round about in the jungle, -some as large as houses, and many curious orchidaceous plants thrive in -the drenchingly moist atmosphere. The so-called “Kaieteur lily,” whose -green leaves are striped with brown and black lines and whose heart, when -in flower, is a scarlet feather, grows gaily on boulder and tree-stem. -Then suddenly, when we had been about two hours on the march from Tukeit, -the forest ended and the trail debouched on a savannah of flat rock, -covered with a thin layer of sand, in which grass and many charming -wild-flowers grow freely. No sooner do you reach the savannah than you -also come upon the last of Sprostons’ rest-houses. It stands out in the -open, at a considerable distance from any water, save what is caught upon -its corrugated iron roof and conveyed to a vat. Behind it and on both -sides all view is cut off by the forest, which is only a few feet away. -In front there is a small open savannah, and beyond range upon range of -blue, forest-clad hills. But there is still no sign or sound whatever of -the mighty waterfall, and those who do not know could never guess that -anything extraordinary was near by. - -We rested for a few minutes in the bungalow, enjoying the view and the -delicious change of climate which comes from ascending some 1,500 feet. -Then we walked on a hundred yards or so across the savannah. The first -sign of danger ahead is a deep fissure in the ground, which must be -crossed carefully. A few steps more, and with appalling suddenness a -terrific chasm yawns at one’s feet. From the rest-house nothing can be -seen of precipice or chasm, and the forests which clothe the cliff-tops -upon the opposite side of the river gorge appear to meet the edge of -the savannah. Indeed, this abrupt rift in a landscape which does not -otherwise suggest anything stupendous startled me afresh each time. It -takes hours to realize the scene. We stood on the overhanging lip of a -precipice: thin air below us for many hundred feet. Still, however, the -waterfall was almost a mile away across the gulf; and nothing could be -seen of it, for the whole gorge was filled with mist and thick, white, -fleecy cloud. “Mother of Mists” should Kaietuk be named, as Roraima -is called “Father of Streams.” In point of fact, however, the word -_Kaietuk_ (Dr. Bovallius writes it _Kaijituik_) means “Old Man’s Rock,” -and the falls are so named by the Indians, because of a folk-tale to the -effect that an aged Indian, becoming a nuisance to his relatives, as his -feet were infested with chigoes, which they had to pick out for him, was -put in a woodskin and sent to drift to his death over this abyss. Strange -that Kaietuk’s majestic beauty should have inspired no better legend -than this! The word _tuk_ or _tuik_ means “rock,” and is also found in -Paka_tuk_, Ama_tuk_, Wara_tuk_, and _Tuk_eit, all of which are well-known -cataracts on the Potaro River. The usual spelling “Kaieteur” is a mere -mistake. - -The mists of the waterfall are drawn up and dispersed in the sunshine, -but directly the sun goes they fill up the gorge and hide everything. -Indeed, it was not till the afternoon on the day of our arrival that the -weather cleared and Kaietuk stood revealed in all its grandeur. I fear -it is almost impossible to give in words any idea of this wonder, but I -will make an attempt. Lazy, dreamy Potaro suddenly leaps down fully eight -hundred feet vertically into a great black caldron below, and then flows -through a vast amphitheatre of precipices, towering to an equal height -on either bank, their bases clothed in forest. The black bush-water, as -it reaches the lip of the fall and the sun strikes it, turns first amber -and then to a creamy spray, and falls in festoons of foam, which seem -living and change incessantly. The river was low on this occasion, so -that comparatively little water was going over, and it looked as though -the whole mass turned to spray before reaching the black depths beneath; -but sometimes a puff of wind blew the opalescent foam-curtain aside for -a second, and one caught a glimpse of the amber column descending. The -contrast between the grim, black and red, weather-stained cliffs and the -flying, gleaming, living, falling water is marvellously beautiful. Little -wisps of mist float ceaselessly forth from out the black cavern behind -the fall. A glorious rainbow hovers about it, whilst flights of swallows -cross and recross before it, bathing themselves in the spray in a manner -that would enchant a Japanese artist. Pairs of macaws sail majestically -past the background of white foam, the crimson of their under-wings and -the brilliant blue of their bodies gleaming like jewels when the sun -catches them. The fickle come-and-go of shape and sheen in the restless -cataract makes its strange beauties alive with caprice and mystery; for -the eye can follow during several seconds the lace-like, ever-varying -tracery of each water-wreath as it drops from the lip of Kaietuk to meet -the foam tossed up from the black whirlpool underneath. - -We spent all the afternoon studying the fall from various points of -view. At the cliff-edge near Sprostons’ bungalow one can see, but not -photograph, its entire length; and there is a good view of the tumbling -reaches of the river below, which alternate with large, still pools. You -can also look fully a mile upstream above the fall, where Potaro flows -in a straight reach through a vast, densely forested plateau, stretching -away to distant blue hills, also forest-clad, save on their vertical -cliff-sides—hills that beckon the traveller onwards, prophesying further -wonders. For from the Kaietuk savannah a view can be obtained of Mount -Kowatipu, round the spur of which we were to travel on our further -journey to Roraima, and of the lofty range of mountains, called by the -Indians Kamana and Morakabang, at the head of the Kopinang River. There -is also an extensive panorama of the plateau and the mountains on the -right bank of the Potaro. - -Sir Walter Egerton, who visited Kaietuk in 1913, had a path cut for him -from Sprostons’ rest-house in a downriver direction, near the edge of the -precipice, through an awesome forest among black fissures, huge rocks, -and forbidding caverns, for a distance of about a quarter of a mile, -to a bare jut of cliff, which overhangs the gorge at a point about one -mile as the crow flies from the brink of Kaietuk. From this spot it is -possible to photograph the abyss in its entire height, but not from any -point nearer. The vertical fall is sixfold that of Niagara, and the whole -scene is on so enormous a scale that it is difficult to realize how huge -is every detail of it all, and one sorely needs something to give the -sense of proportion with the ordinary workaday world. There is also a -trail from the rest-house to the brink of the fall, where one obtains a -wonderful view down the gorge to Mount Kenaima at the Amatuk Gateway and -to the dim plains beyond, a distant sea of forest. But from the water’s -edge it is, of course, impossible to see much of the chasm into which -the river falls, unless you lie prone on the overhanging rock and look -straight down into the caldron below. Round about the head of the fall -on the left bank of the Potaro is a curious open plain of hard, smooth -rock. It is almost flat, with a gentle incline toward the river-side, -and is strewn with small, round, white pebbles. Save the wealth of -wild-flowers, only scrub wreathed with golden “Kaietuk vine” and big -orchidaceous plants, some of them ten or twelve feet high, grow there; -but it is a curiously fascinating place, and forms a weird and fantastic -approach to the fall itself. Surely it would be a good thing if British -Guiana made the whole of this unique savannah in the immediate vicinity -of Kaietuk, abounding, as it does, in interesting plants and flowers, -into a colonial park, after the model of the national parks in the United -States; and, if so, when made readily accessible, it should be a source -of health and delight to many generations of our colonists, whose work -compels them to reside, as a rule, on the hot coastal plains. - -[Illustration: POTARO GORGE FROM KAIETUK. - -To face page 78.] - -We reached Kaietuk on Christmas Eve; and, as all our baggage and stores -had to be carried up on the back of our Indian droghers from Tukeit -to a point above the waterfall, where Potaro is again navigable, our -headquarters during all Christmas Day, as well as for the larger part -of Boxing Day, were at Sprostons’ rest-house. I shall never forget that -Christmas Day at Kaietuk. The lights were so wonderful on the gorge, -and a lovely rainbow hovered over the fall. Each time that I turned away -from Kaietuk and looked down the valley I said to myself: “It is more -lovely than the last time I looked this way;” and, whenever I turned back -to that living, moving water, I felt, “This really _is_ more wonderful -than a second ago.” One of the most striking things about Kaietuk is its -silence, due, I suppose, to the foot of the fall being so far below. -Occasionally, when the wind eddied upward, a great sullen growl came up, -and the Makusis standing beside me at the brink of the cliff stepped back -with a grunt of superstitious alarm. - -The wonder of it all makes coming away very hard, for one becomes -fascinated by the ever-changing glory and can never look enough. When, in -October, 1917, my husband and I were three weeks in camp on this plateau, -it did not seem one day too long; and we studied Kaietuk in all its -moods—in misty dawn, magnificent day, and ghostly moonlight. We pitched -camp about fifty yards from the edge of the abyss, a few feet above the -river-side. It was a heavenly spot. Our tarpaulins were slung in a little -strip of forest for protection from the weather; but a big rock, jutting -out into the river and overarched by trees, made us the most perfect -“parlour” in the world. As I lay in a hammock, listening to the delicious -swish-swish of the hurrying river, I could see miles and miles of blue -hills and shining stream below me, right away down the gorge to Amatuk. -What happy, lazy hours that hammock afforded me, too blissful even for -reading, when one seemed not wholly awake, yet not at all asleep, and -altogether aware of the loveliness around one! The fall, of course, -could not be seen from the camp, but the air came to us chilled by its -moving waters, cool and invigorating even at midday. Curiously enough, -the mists, which float ceaselessly forth from behind Kaietuk and often -fill the gorge and roll in clouds over the savannah, seemed somehow to be -abruptly cut off by the precipice, and never came our way. Altogether it -was the most perfect of many delightful camps. - -But the day’s occupation was by no means limited to hammock musings, -for our object, during those three weeks, was to find a practicable -alignment for a motor-road from the Kaietuk plateau down to Amatuk. A -very interesting and attractive job it was, though it involved us in -many an hour’s hard climbing and scrambling, only to reward us at first -with disappointment. - -The work of trail-cutting in the vicinity of Kaietuk is like groping -in the dark. One can see little or nothing beyond the few yards just -ahead; for the forest shuts out all view, save when one reaches an abrupt -cliff-edge or a little patch of rocky savannah. In country such as this -every step has to be cut toilfully up and down hillsides, and no rapid -reconnaissance survey is possible. Oh for a hydroplane, with which to get -a bird’s-eye view of plateau, ravine, and river! - -The Indians we found to be of no use to us as guides to the country, and -they did not at all relish the job on which we were engaged. They have -a superstitious fear of Kaietuk and all its surroundings. They consider -that the whole place spooks, and they constantly murmur about “kenaima” -whilst at work. This is their word for ghosts and spirits, and they -have given to the mountain standing above Amatuk, at the entrance to -the Potaro gorge, the name of Mount Kenaima. From its summit the smoke -as of fires is said constantly to ascend, though no man walks thereon. -Between Kangaruma and Chenapowu, some fifty miles of river, there is not -a single human habitation, and the surrounding country appears unknown -to the aborigines. Our men dared not even look at the Kaietuk Fall when -by themselves, and, if obliged to approach it, hurried past with averted -eyes. They would not leave camp unless two might go together, and they -plainly were reluctant to cut lines through the rock-strewn forests -round about, painting their faces with red streaks to ward off malign -influences. Would that evil could indeed be averted by so simple an -expedient! The truth may be that the numerous caverns of this region are -haunted by jaguars and possibly by other wild beasts, and that Indians -have been killed from time to time when passing through the gorge. - -Still, after many failures we at last succeeded in finding a line. My -husband’s first idea was to circumvent entirely the ravines of the -Washibaru and Korumê creeks, which form the chief obstacles in the ascent -to Kaietuk. So he cut a path from the edge of Kaietuk Fall in a direction -at right angles to the Potaro across the Kaietuk plateau, descending into -the Korumê valley. He then continued up this valley until he reached a -saddle, where, at a height of about 1,150 feet above Tukeit, is the -source of the Korumê. After that he crossed over on to another plateau -above the left bank of the Korumê, and so made his way to the head-waters -of the Washibaru creek. But, although the two ravines had thus been -circumvented, no reasonable gradient could be found downhill, beyond -Washibaru Head, either to Tukeit or to Waratuk. At last we decided to -explore the Korumê defile itself, in spite of its forbidding aspect at -Devil’s Mother’s Pillars, and shortly after dawn one day we walked to -Korumê Head, taking four Makusis with us. - -The Indians had so persistently declared this valley to be “no walky” -that we scarcely dared to hope that it would be possible to get along -it for any distance; and my husband, anticipating some very troublesome -scrambling, desired me to return to camp and leave him with the four -men to make the attempt. But the men hung back so much that I was -obliged to follow to drive them after him. My husband led the way, -plunging ahead through a thick jungle of scrub and bush-rope. Then, -when he reached the farthest point from which he could see me through -the forest veil, he signalled to me, and I gave the word to the men to -cut a straight line to where he stood. This process we repeated again -and again hour after hour. The going was amazingly good—too good to -last, and we expected every minute to be stopped by a waterfall or by -a jumble of rock and cliff. It was very exciting and very delightful. -The gradient was 28 per cent. over the first 4,854 feet, there being -no rock obstruction whatsoever. Then for another 4,438 feet of gentle -descent the ground surface, though by no means bad, was less easy, and -the line had to be graded round the hill-side instead of running on the -valley floor. Eventually we were held up by a welter of huge _tacoubas_, -and turned back, our men being tired and sulky. But on later days my -husband completed the trail, though from the point where we had stopped -on the first day things were not so easy. Obstacles were incessant for -the remaining 2,400 feet to Devil’s Mother’s Pillars, where it will be -necessary to make a hair-pin bend in the road alignment, and the country -between the Korumê and the Washibaru creeks is also rough and difficult. -Nevertheless, when we broke up camp at Kaietuk to return to Georgetown, -we had a complete track to Tukeit, and since then the line has been -surveyed, continued to Amatuk, and examined by an engineer, who reported -on the 31st October, 1918, that the cost of a motor-road from Amatuk -to Washibaru would be about $92,000, and from Washibaru up the Korumê -valley to Kaietuk plateau about $37,300. It only remains now to trace -the alignment of a road from Garraway’s Landing to Amatuk in order to -complete the scheme of a highway from Bartika past Kaburi and across the -Potaro-Konawaruk Road to Kaietuk. What a difference it will make to life -in British Guiana when it is possible to reach that wonderland in a day’s -drive by motor-car from Bartika! - - - - -THE ASCENT TO THE HIGHLAND SAVANNAHS - - - - -CHAPTER VI - -THE ASCENT TO THE HIGHLAND SAVANNAHS - - I will make a palace, fit for you and me - Of green days in forests. - - R. L. STEVENSON: _Romance_. - - -In the long, straight reach of the Potaro, immediately above Kaietuk, -there are several rapids; and the dangerous proximity of the -Kaietuk abyss itself makes this stretch of the river an undesirable -starting-point for an upstream journey. Mr. Menzies told us a harrowing -tale of a bushman who years ago, wishing to cross from the right to the -left bank of the Potaro in this reach, made a raft to ferry himself and -his kit over the river. When out in midstream, he found to his horror -that his punt-pole would not touch bottom, and the raft began to drift -in the direction of the waterfall. The man did not hesitate long, but, -abandoning all his belongings, threw himself into the river and, being -a strong swimmer, successfully reached the bank. So, in order to avoid -all such dangers, the landing-stage for the Upper Potaro has been placed -a couple of miles above Kaietuk, at a point about thirty-five minutes’ -walk from Sprostons’ rest-house. For the most part, the trail to this -landing-place traverses the rocky Kaietuk savannah, the only patch -of ground clear of forest on our whole journey from the coast to the -highlands; but for the last fifteen minutes it goes through forest and -involves a troublesome scramble over tangled tree-roots, resembling piles -of giant “spillikens.” The path emerges on the left bank of the Potaro -at a point where there is a small inlet, and where all view of Kaietuk -and its surroundings has already been lost. Here were two boats, one -being a second “parson’s boat,” and the other belonging to Mr. Menzies. -Mr. Menzies’ boat is thirty feet in length, built of silver-balli wood, -very handy and buoyant. It came up from Georgetown in sections, and was -screwed together by Mr. Menzies with the help of two men in this little -cove, where it is safely moored even in flood-time. The “parson’s boat,” -on the other hand, came up whole, and was many days in transit from -Tukeit. What a job hoisting it to Amen Point must have been! - -We put six Indians into the “parson’s boat”; the remaining eight, with -Mr. Menzies, Haywood, ourselves, and all our baggage, embarked in the -other. A tarpaulin shelter was stretched amidships over a frame of bent -boughs, to which a hammock was slung for me. Mr. Menzies steered, and -had four paddlers with him in the stern, while Haywood was bowman with -four more; and so we started off upstream on the afternoon of the 26th -December, 1915. - -The Potaro above Kaietuk is as calm and peaceful as below Tukeit. -Its reflections are so wonderful that it is hard to distinguish the -waterline, where the foliage of the banks ends and its mirrored -reflection begins, while the deep blue of the tropical sky shines yet -brighter up from the river’s heart than from overhead. Primeval forest -is unbroken on both banks, save occasionally where patches of secondary -jungle and “congo-pump” suggest that in bygone days there were Indian -settlements on the banks, now abandoned, probably for _kenaima_ reasons. -Whenever a chief dies in an Indian village, the people are apt to -attribute any subsequent run of bad luck to his _kenaima_, or spirit, and -they migrate from the place. Indeed, a village is nearly always deserted -for a short time after the death of any important villager. There are -also whole districts besides the Kaietuk country into which Indians will -not go for fear of _kenaima_. - -We did not get far that day, as the men, who had been droghing our stores -from Tukeit to the landing on the Upper Potaro, complained of fatigue. So -we made an early camp on the river-bank at a place where the forest was -“clean,” as the bushmen express it—that is, without choking undergrowth. -Very soon we were most comfortably established. A tarpaulin stretched -over a framework makes a nice roof; and we also had tarpaulins hung on -the two sides for the sake of privacy, and another spread as a floor to -keep our feet dry. It is not the custom in this country to use tents, -so we had not brought ours. But this was a mistake, for a tent can be -rigged up as easily as a tarpaulin, and it would have ensured greater -comfort and privacy. Moreover, on the open savannahs a tent is needed as -a protection against wind and rain. Haywood built himself a camp-fire, -placing a stick horizontally on two forked uprights and slinging pots on -it above the flames, just as the bushman does in Canada and probably all -the world over. Our fire and those of the Indians lit up the damp forest -glade and made it look quite friendly, but an hour after dusk torrents of -rain fell, which speedily extinguished the warm glow. - -Next morning we paddled steadily upstream, halting only for an hour and a -half at noon, when we lunched. It was a very restful day. No rain fell, -but the sky was overcast until 3 p.m. Then the sun broke through the -clouds and lit up the river with its perfect reflections most prettily. -We passed the mouths of several creeks emptying into the Potaro, the -largest being the Amamuri, the Seebu, and the Ichirak, and from our -boat we could at times see the mountains in which are the sources of -the Ichirak and the Arnik creeks. Above the mouth of the Ichirak the -Potaro becomes very winding, and there is a place where two reaches are -parallel, flowing in opposite directions, so that Indians travelling in -woodskins make a portage over the neck of the bend. We noticed frequent -maipuri tracks on both banks as well as on spits of sand, where the -animals come down to water; and occasionally the river-edge turns to -eta-swamp, where muscovy duck are said to abide. We also saw several -divers, some beautiful white cranes, and a pair of otters, so much -interested in us that they kept bobbing up close to the boat, trying to -get a better view. The trees on the Upper Potaro are magnificent, and the -forest looks friendly; whereas the dense, suffocating, tropical jungles -of the lowlands give a horrible impression of hostile, evil Nature. - -This night we camped at the mouth of the Arnik on a small island round -which the creek flows into the Potaro. The ground is slightly rising and -makes a picturesque and comfortable camping-place, with a view straight -down the main river. As usual, rain poured down all night long, making us -thankful that our tarpaulins were waterproof. - -Next morning, after paddling an hour and a half, we reached the -watersmeet of the Potaro and the Chenapowu creek. This is the limit of -navigation, for the Chenapowu is blocked by _tacoubas_ and cataracts, -and the Potaro itself, a short distance above Chenapowu, is impeded by -serious rapids. The river being low had been favourable for our upstream -journey, and we covered the thirty miles from Kaietuk to Chenapowu in ten -and a half hours’ actual paddling. River travel is, of course, always -governed by the state of the river; and Mr. Menzies told us that once -in time of abnormally high flood he made the whole journey downstream -from Chenapowu to Kangaruma, a distance of fifty miles, between sunrise -and sunset. We, on our way back, there being then about three feet more -water in the river than on our way up, paddled from Chenapowu to Kaietuk -in six and a half hours; but we were far indeed from approaching Mr. -Menzies’ record. At Chenapowu several trails from the highlands converge, -and it was here that an old Swedish gentleman, Dr. Carl Bovallius, some -years ago made a settlement which he called Holmia. He cleared a hundred -acres of land and built himself a house, admirably situated on a knoll -overlooking the watersmeet of the Potaro and Chenapowu, furnished his -home with every comfort, and began a trade in balata with the Indians of -the neighbourhood. Mr. Menzies did the transport work for him, and by his -direction explored the forest trails to find a short-cut to the highland -savannahs. It was thus that he found “Menzies’ Line,” which balata-laden -Indians could travel in two days, and which is certainly a capital path -from the Potaro to the highlands. We ourselves travelled over it. Its -length was estimated by Dr. Bovallius’ foreman to be thirty-two miles; -but, as the track is now interrupted by fallen trees, it must be somewhat -longer, for détours have to be made to avoid all the bigger obstacles. - -It is unfortunate that Dr. Bovallius did not come here as a younger man. -He was over seventy years of age when he began his enterprise; and, -though he lived to be seventy-eight, yet time was lacking for him to -establish his work on firm foundations. When he died, the Indians carried -off everything that could possibly be removed, and his entire clearing -is now covered by secondary growth and the horrible “congo-pump,” which, -bearing a ghastly resemblance to rubber, grows habitually wherever a -clearing in the primeval forest has once been, and mocks at abandoned -human endeavour. We could, however, still see traces of the roads and -bridges which Dr. Bovallius had made, and a small corrugated-iron -powder-store remains in good repair. Of the house at Holmia nothing is -left save the four main posts and a few panes of glass scattered on the -ground. - -We approached Chenapowu in some anxiety, for at this point we were to -leave the waterways and begin our long march overland; and it was here -that Mr. Menzies had instructed the Makusis of the highlands to meet -us as baggage-carriers. He fully believed that the Makusis understood -and meant to execute his instructions, until, just before we got there, -Johnny of Puwa observed casually that his people “Chenapowu side no -come.” Unfortunately, on arrival, we found that Johnny had spoken but -too truly, for at Chenapowu we found no one but John Williams, a tall -Patamona, attired only in loin-cloth, knife, and belt, who, with his wife -and children, was the sole inhabitant of Holmia. He came down to our boat -and insisted on shaking hands with us, saying very firmly and politely, -“How do you do?” but he equally firmly said, “Me no carry load.” In these -depressing circumstances the only thing to be done was to camp for the -time being on the site of Dr. Bovallius’ house. We never discovered why -the Makusis had failed us; for, when we eventually reached the highlands, -they were all eagerly awaiting us and most anxious to be of use; but -it did not seem to have occurred to them that their services would be -needed in the forest. Of course, explanations with a people whose best -interpreters understand only a bare dozen words of the English language -and can speak but half as many are apt to miscarry. Anyway, the Makusis -were not there, and we were faced by a forest trek of thirty odd miles, -with carriers insufficient to make the attempt. It was a difficult and -unpleasant position. - -As soon as the boats had been unloaded, and camp made at Holmia, we sent -off two Indians, Robert and Hubbard by name, to Arnik village, which in -Dr. Bovallius’ time was some two and a half hours’ walk from Holmia, and -whence he supplied himself with ground provisions. We instructed these -men to make great haste, and to induce as many as possible of the men -of Arnik to return with them at once, bringing cassava for the forest -journey, and we hoped to make an early start next day. Our stores were -packed in the powder-house, and we sat down to await the arrival of the -Arnik people with what patience we could muster, by the help of Sir -George Trevelyan’s _Life and Letters of Lord Macaulay_. Our camp, shut -in by congo-pump and dense secondary growth, was most unattractive. -There were no mosquitoes—indeed, we never saw mosquitoes after Rockstone -during our whole journey. But other horrible insects, such as cow-flies, -sand-flies, and ticks, made life a burden. The day dragged wearily by -and night fell with the usual heavy rain, but without any sign of the -Arnik people or of our messengers. Early next morning Mr. and Mrs. John -Williams called with their two children. Mrs. Williams wore a bead apron -and had tattoo marks on her face and body. They asked for sugar; but -John had been so little helpful that we did not feel in the mood to be -very generous with that precious commodity, and consequently only gave -a teaspoonful to each child, whereupon the family, apparently offended, -disappeared into the forest and we saw them no more. All day we waited -for the men of Arnik to arrive, but no one appeared; and when, as -daylight died, heavy rain again began to fall, and we had finally to give -up all hope of starting next morning, we felt thoroughly depressed and -miserable. Before going to bed it was decided that at dawn Mr. Menzies -should make a start, with all our Indians and as many loads as they could -carry; take them to Akrabanna creek, where the trail to Arnik branches -off from “Menzies’ Line”; should there deposit the loads at the junction -of the trails, send the Indians back to us to be ready for further -service, and himself go on to Arnik to ascertain the position. The inroad -being made on our food-supplies, without our getting any nearer to the -savannah plenty, was beginning to cause us great anxiety. - -Next morning Mr. Menzies set off early, as arranged, with all the -Indians, leaving Haywood as our only camp attendant. Haywood’s optimism -and cheerfulness were unfailing, but even Macaulay failed to cheer -_us_ as the long hours crawled by. Heavy rain fell at intervals, and, -imprisoned by sodden forest on all sides, the position was certainly not -enlivening. During some hours we hoped that Mr. Menzies might return, -having met the men of Arnik in the way; but we were disappointed, and - - The weary day dragged to its rest - Lingering like an unloved guest. - -Late in the afternoon nine of the Indians returned with a note from -Mr. Menzies which informed us that Arnik village had been shifted to a -considerable distance from its former site, but that he was going thither -with one man, leaving two to guard the loads, and sending the others -back to us. He suggested that we should move to Akrabanna next day, -with as much of the baggage as the nine men could carry, and meet him -there. This not very cheery epistle still comforted us much, because it -accounted for Amik’s delay, and our spirits also rose at the prospect -of moving on. After an early supper we had gone to bed with a bright -camp-fire to cheer us, when we heard a shout, and then beheld the joyful -sight of Mr. Menzies with a lamp, followed by Robert and Hubbard and a -line of seven men and three women. As they filed past our tarpaulin, the -firelight gleaming upon their naked brown bodies, I could have cried for -joy. Mr. Menzies had met the men of Arnik on the trail before he reached -the site of their new village; and it appeared that Robert and Hubbard -had got there on the night of the day they left us, but had found all the -men away hunting. A day had been spent in palaver and in making cassava -for the journey, and therefore not until the morning of the third day did -such hunters as had returned set out with our messengers for Holmia. With -anxiety much relieved, we calmed our emotions and went to sleep. Heavy -rain fell all night. - -We struck camp early in the morning of the 31st December, 1915, and a -walk of twenty minutes up the left bank of the Chenapowu creek brought -us to the point where the Tumong trail branches off to the west. All -previous travellers to Mount Roraima, _via_ the Potaro, had gone by the -Tumong trail; and, according to their accounts, it is by no means a good -one. But we continued along the Chenapowu, and after another fifteen -minutes forded the Wong creek, its tributary, while a further quarter -of an hour brought us to the point where the Chenapowu creek itself is -spanned by two _tacoubas_, for crossing at low water and at high water -respectively. The silver-sand bottoms of these creeks contrast prettily -with the deep amber bush water. Thence an ascent over a couple of low -hillocks brought us after a walk of one hour and seventeen minutes from -Holmia to a clearing on a bracken-covered sand-hill above the right bank -of the Akrabanna creek, where there had once been a Patamona village, and -where now the line to Arnik branches off eastwards from our trail. The -Akrabanna falls into the Chenapowu, which latter creek, though invisible -in the dense forest, continued on our right hand, until we saw it again -five hours’ march farther on at its watersmeet with the Sirani-baru creek. - -It was delightful to be up and doing, and we enjoyed our walk to -Akrabanna very much. On Mr. Menzies’ recommendation, we had equipped -ourselves with rubber sole canvas boots, and we found them most -comfortable and practicable. Our feet were always getting wet, since -we had constantly to wade across streams, but canvas dries quickly -without getting stiff, and the rubber sole is a great safeguard against -slipping. Moreover, it is possible to feel through it the nature of the -ground underfoot, and whether it is likely to bear one or not. Forest -trails are a mass of tangled roots covered by deceptive layers of fallen -leaves, and one must, therefore, concentrate one’s attention upon one’s -feet. To glance up even for half a minute, without first standing still, -invariably results in a stumble or in goring the feet upon some spiky -stump; but the path is springy underfoot, and it is possible to walk -long hours without fatigue. Nevertheless, the monotony of forest trek -is extreme. Generally you cannot see twenty yards in front of you. -Indians walk so silently that sometimes the long file of carriers appears -noiselessly and suddenly at one’s side, when one had perhaps believed -them to be some distance behind. They do not speak on the line of march, -and they move their feet very carefully, seldom cutting them. We soon -became quite adept ourselves at walking quickly without stumbling, and -at clambering over the fallen trees that barred our progress every few -yards. It would not, I think, be possible for a woman to negotiate -these trails in a skirt, for not only would it hamper her greatly in -surmounting the continual obstacles, but it would at once become sodden -with water from the dripping trees and bushes, and from the perpetual -fording of streams, when water often rises nearly to the knees. I wore -knickerbockers and puttees, and found myself able to move very quickly -and easily. - -We lunched at Akrabanna and considered the situation, which was not -particularly reassuring. We could reckon on but seven carriers from -Arnik, for the three women had only come sightseeing and were about -to return to their homes, each one having an infant with her. They -were neat, squat little people, attired only in the bead _queyu_, or -apron, and carrying their children on the hip. We had, therefore, only -twenty-one carriers all told, and of these the nine Demerara River men -were totally inefficient. Not a cheerful outlook! So we reluctantly -resolved that it would not be advisable to travel that day beyond the -Akrabanna camping-ground, some thirty minutes farther on, where we would -open all the boxes containing stores and pack the contents in quakes, -thus appreciably lightening the loads. Having come to this decision, -we descended to the Akrabanna creek, which is wide and crossed by a -primitive bridge in the shape of an enormous tree lying athwart the -stream. This _tacouba_ was rather slippery, but rubber soles steadied -our feet, and we crossed it and many others without mishap. After that, -we ascended some distance up a sharp incline and chose a very nice -camping-ground. We found a level floor for our tarpaulin, while the steep -slope below promised good drainage. The trees around were magnificent, -and the rare sunshine made all look charming. Bell-birds, giving thanks -for the fine weather, sounded their musical “ding-dong” everywhere. - -After establishing ourselves with all our comforts about us and a good -fire burning, we wandered downhill to look at the rest of the camp, -which was made some distance below us. We saw the seven men of Arnik -busily engaged on making quakes out of split palm-stalks, having already -thatched themselves a little palm-leaf _banaboo_. They were fine, -strongly-built fellows, destitute of clothing save a loin-cloth, but -their skins are so nice and red that their whole effect is eminently in -keeping with their surroundings. They have also a fine native dignity -about them. On they went with their quake-making, cooking, etc., -without troubling themselves at all about us as we stood watching their -extraordinarily dexterous fingers, and they talked, cracked jokes, and -told stories among themselves like a gay dinner-party at some club. No -word of English could they speak, save their names, which were Samuel, -George, Austin, William, etc. Our “civilized” Indians were mostly -lounging in hammocks. This sort of droghing was not what they liked at -all. After surveying the loads, we realized that some stuff must be left -behind, and we decided to leave to their fate our two side-tarpaulins, in -future using our carpet as a wind-break or screen when needed, and also -to desert a couple of tins of salt which we carried as barter. Money was -no more use once the Potaro-Konawaruk Road was behind us. Then we dined -under our tarpaulin, that good fellow Haywood making nothing of running -up and down the hill between us and his “kitchen” with the viands. -We had for supper soup, rice, and potatoes, with fried sausage, tea, -bread and jam. Our bread lasted very well in a tin till we were on the -savannahs and could obtain cassava. We went to sleep with a bright fire -burning, and very snug in our blankets. There was tremendous rainfall as -usual all night. - -New Year’s Day also began with rain; and, after some delay in -redistributing loads, we set off, following two of our men, appropriately -named Moses and Aaron, through the wilderness, whilst Mr. Menzies came -behind with the rest. From the Akrabanna to the Sirani-baru our trail -crossed no water at all, save two small brooks, both of which are within -half an hour’s walk of the watersmeet of the Chenapowu and Sirani-baru. -The path runs for two and a quarter hours’ march dead level along a -plateau, sometimes narrowing to a ridge, which, we assumed, must divide -the valley of the Chenapowu on the west from that of the Akrabanna on -the east. At the northern end of this plateau there is a stiff climb of -1,200 feet by terraced ascents from the Akrabanna, taking one hour and -forty-six minutes, while at the southern end there is an easy descent of -800 feet, which lasts sixty-five minutes. The trail was very indistinct, -and once or twice we lost it for a few minutes; for Indians are content -to mark trails by merely breaking an occasional twig, and it is extremely -easy to stray from the right line—in fact, one is bound to do so, unless -an Indian guide is immediately ahead. We marched, of course, always -in single file, one behind the other, looking warily at our feet and -requiring all our energies for laborious scrambles over huge fallen trees -and their ramification of branches. It was but rarely that anyone spoke, -and our party of twenty-five souls scarcely broke the oppressive weight -of silence that broods over the sombre forest depths, though sometimes -birds, alarmed by the sight of us, sent shrill cries of warning through -the tree-tops. In one place we crossed a deep fissure in the ground, -resembling that of which I have spoken near the Kaietuk rest-house. No -rain fell in the afternoon, but the dripping forest kept us very wet. - -Our progress was slow on account of our lagging droghers, and we had to -halt at the first of the two brooks between Akrabanna and Sirani-baru. -The place looked an unpromising camping-ground; but it is wonderful how -quickly the most desolate glade of rain-soaked forest assumes a snug and -comfortable air when man has pitched his bivouac there. On this occasion, -the ground being utterly sodden, we placed our spare tarpaulin on the -ground, and caused the Indians to build us a side-screen of palm-leaves. -Our excellent roof tarpaulin (twenty feet by fourteen feet) was soon -spread; then our two camp-beds with their equipment of blankets, blue -pillows, and mosquito-nets, our table and three chairs, lunch-basket with -cups, spoons, plates, knives, etc., and my husband’s prismatic compass, -boiling-point thermometer, and aneroid barometer, all combined to make -the place look quite civilized and home-like. Mr. Menzies had a smaller -tarpaulin, under which he slung his hammock and sheltered the baggage, -whilst the Indians speedily rigged themselves up leaf-thatched _benabs_. -Then, with a dozen fires burning all around, the whole aspect of the -place changed in a twinkling. - -Soon after we had made camp a few cheery sunbeams found their way -down to us. In the forest sunlight falls like a most precious but -sparingly-scattered largesse. Haywood provided us for supper with an -excellent creole soup, piping hot, made of onions, potatoes, and salt -pork. It was very welcome in the chilly damp, and we did it ample -justice. Of course, there was a downpour all night. - -There was also rain at dawn of the following morning, and showers -alternated with sunshine during the whole day. We soon found ourselves -at the edge of the Sirani-baru, within a few yards of its confluence -with the Chenapowu creek. This is halfway-house between Holmia and the -highland savannahs. We crossed the creek by means of a huge _tacouba_, -and the trail ascended sharply on the other side. Ten minutes later -Thomas shot a marm, and announced triumphantly, “Marmu for Mamma.” The -Indians always called me “Mamma” and my husband “Pappa.” We plucked the -bird on the spot, and then continued our march. When the Sirani-baru has -been crossed, a very short ascent of 200 feet again takes the trail on to -a level plateau, which continues until the path drops slightly to recross -the Sirani-baru near its head after close upon three hours’ march, and -that was all we achieved during the day owing to our laggard droghers. We -were, in effect, making our way round the spur of Mount Kowatipu, which -stood at our right hand; but nothing could be seen of the mountain, and -the only object of interest during the day’s march was a deep excavation -at the side of the trail. It may possibly have been made for gold, but it -might equally well be natural. - -Our Demerara River men were now very sulky, but the Arnik boys were -as good as gold, and appeared to enjoy life. We took much interest in -watching them. Primitive man is wonderfully neat and dexterous. He seems -to be able to fashion a leaf or a twig to his will, be it spoon or basket -or house that he wants; and it is touching to see him hold a palm-leaf -carefully over his head to serve as an umbrella, or pick a large leaf -to squat upon; for his primitive mamma has evidently taught him not to -sit on damp ground. When missionaries or traders introduce clothes, the -Indians soon suffer in health; for it never occurs to them to take their -garments off, and they wear their sodden raiment day and night till they -die of pneumonia. You cannot keep dry in the bush; and, as an American -once observed to Mr. Menzies, while prospecting for gold with him in the -forest: “In this place your shirt is sopping wet in two seconds, and -three months won’t dry it.” Rain fell heavily all the time while camp -was being made, and also most of the evening and night. - -Next day we started in a downpour, and were instantly soaked to the -skin. A climb of twenty-four minutes brought us on to the crest of the -divide which, sloping down from Mount Kowatipu, forms at this point the -water-parting between the Essequebo and the Amazon, 2,520 feet above -sea-level. Here on a hill-saddle is a little swamp, out of which two -tiny streams trickle in opposite directions, thus marking the divide. -Thereafter the trail runs almost level for one hour twelve minutes to -the point where the path over Nose Mountain from Arnik comes in from -the east. After that you descend for twenty-six minutes and cross on -stepping-stones the Huri creek (2,090 feet above sea-level), a tributary -of the Yawong, which falls into the Kowa, and so feeds the Ireng and -the Amazon. Next follows a steady and at times a steep ascent along -undulating hill-ridges, narrowing in places to a knife-edge, until -after one and three-quarter hours’ march from Huri creek the trail -emerges from the forest into the Baramaku savannah at a height of 2,680 -feet above sea-level. The character of the forest towards the end was -quite different, and we had to push our way through tall bamboo grass -and among thickets of small trees before we at last came out into the -sunshine of lovely Baramaku-toy. “Toy” means “savannah” or open country -in the language of the local Indians. I wonder if anyone can imagine the -ecstasy it was to us rain-sodden, half-drowned rats who had not seen -clear sky for seven long days to find ourselves out of the dark, gloomy -twilight of the forest, standing in the scented flower-starred grass, -able to look over long views of distant tiers of hills into the fading -blue distance, whilst glowing sunshine warmed us through, and the most -delicious, cool and fragrant breezes blew in our faces. Welcome seemed to -smile from every blade of grass in that enchanting little place. - -[Illustration: BARAMAKU SAVANNAH. - -To face page 113.] - -The whole march through the forest between Holmia and Baramaku-toy can -be done, and was done by us on our return journey, in fourteen hours and -twenty-six minutes. My husband estimated our average rate of progress -at two and a half miles an hour; and the length of the trail in all its -windings would therefore be some thirty-six miles. On the outward journey -this march through the forest occupied sixteen and a half hours, and -was spread over four tedious days, because of the inefficiency of our -Demerara River droghers. The gradients of the route are shown in the -diagram (p. 237), drawn by my husband. - -At Baramaku-toy our forest trek ended, and we never again spent a whole -day in the forest during the remainder of our journey to Roraima, -although frequently we passed through belts of woodland fringing a river -course between one savannah and the next. The British Guiana jungle -is certainly a place where you cannot see the wood for the trees. The -effort of getting along quickly without catching your feet absorbs -the attention, and I am afraid that I have laid much emphasis on the -damp and gloom. Nevertheless, the magnificence of some of the forest -giants induced us often to stand still and marvel. The mora-trees, in -particular, grew to a great height, and their trunks, when a few feet -from the ground, spread out ribs of twisted wood like bastions all -round them. When they lie fallen, you are astonished to see how short a -depth the foundations of the monster penetrated into the soil. We saw -no orchids in flower in the forest, but orchidaceous parasites grow -everywhere on bush and stone, and send out fibres to suck moisture from -the earth. Even those perched on the tops of mighty trees, more than a -hundred feet above the ground, drop down these little, thirsty, fibrous -mouths. Occasionally we noticed brilliant blossoms lying at our feet, -fallen from some creeper, stretching itself in light and air over the -tree-tops; and at one point we picked up and enjoyed some delicious -_suwarri_ nuts. But, taken as a whole, primeval tropical forest is a -hostile thing. It can harbour no fairies, though there might be demons -and goblins. To be alone even for a minute in the jungle is alarming, for -such is the profound silence all around that one has a terrifying sense -of being inimically watched by unseen things, and I can imagine nothing -worse than to be lost in the bush. - - - - -THE HIGHLAND SAVANNAHS OF BRITISH GUIANA - - - - -CHAPTER VII - -THE HIGHLAND SAVANNAHS OF BRITISH GUIANA - - The shining tablelands, - To which our God Himself is moon and sun. - - _Tennyson_: _Ode on the Death of - the Duke of Wellington_. - - -By contrast with the forest, the Baramaku savannah seemed fairyland. It -looks like an English park: smiling slopes of grass with here and there a -clump of bracken or a cluster of trees; undulating knolls and dells, and -a delicious little brook at its far end. Its area is between three and -four square miles, and it is situated about 2,700 feet above sea-level. -We walked right across it and pitched camp near the brook. A tarpaulin -shelter was quickly made, and we changed luxuriously into dry clothes, -after which Haywood produced excellent tea almost at once. In spite of -all the drenchings of the last week, my husband and I were in better -health and spirits than at our departure from Georgetown. The cool of the -forest had been invigorating, and the sole evil result of the ceaseless -damp was rheumatism in my shoulder, which disappeared after two days of -the savannah sunshine and dry air. - -But the setting of Baramaku-toy is far from English, for all around -this little Eden looms the dark tropical forest, while to the north -cliff-faced, forest-crowned Kowatipu glowered at us from among his -rain-clouds some ten miles away. He rises a thousand feet or more above -the sea of forest, a rectangular plateau edged by precipices, true to -the Roraima _leit-motif_. He is the magnet for all the rain of the -neighbourhood, and is generally wrapped in forbidding cloud. But as we -gazed at him for a few minutes from Baramaku-toy, he stood out clear and -grand, until once more he wreathed his head in mist, while rain fell -about his feet. We watched, rejoicing in our escape, when, as it were, -he shook his fist at us by sending an ugly black cloud straight for us. -I ran to the shelter of the tarpaulin, having no mind to get my nice dry -clothes soaked again. But it was only an impotent threat. He could not -touch us in Baramaku’s charmed keeping, and the cloud drifted off on to -the forest-clad hills near by, whilst the thrushes sang on undisturbedly -and we basked in the sunshine, lying in the lush grass with no _bête -rouge_ to annoy us and fanned by cool breezes. The air had a delicious -mountain nip in it, the thermometer at 5 p.m. being only 69° F. The night -was quite cold, and I was glad of three blankets. Here we slept without -mosquito nets, untroubled by insects. No one at present inhabits this -savannah, but there are the remains of a deserted banaboo; and the spot, -when made less difficult of access, would be a charming little country -property. It has pasturage suitable for horses and cattle, with plenty -of room available for pleasure-grounds and park-land, as well as for a -kitchen-garden and poultry-farm. Within a short time a family established -here would make itself almost independent of supplies from the coast. - -After our usual breakfast of porridge and coffee, we set off next -morning, having first been taken by Mr. Menzies to look at a little -meadow sprinkled underneath its grass with water-worn pebbles. He said -that he had once prospected this place for diamonds, and thought it -showed good promise, but could not go on with the work for lack of -dynamite. He had found some ancient beads in the ground, of a kind not -now used by the aborigines, and concluded that the place had been an -Indian settlement in bygone days. - -Crossing the brook which bounds the Baramaku savannah, our trail plunged -again into forest, and ran uphill and down-dale over a number of small -rills that drain northwards into the Kowa River, until, after a hot, dull -walk of about five and a half miles, we reached the Quaibaru savannah. -Ten minutes before emerging from the forest we came upon a stream -with provision-fields on its banks, where cassava, yams, bananas, and -plantains grew plentifully; and here our droghers washed themselves, -brushed their hair, and titivated generally, preparatory to a state entry -into Quaibaru village, whilst one of their number sounded a cow-horn to -announce our approach. We could see that we were expected by the fact -that the path had been carefully and recently cleaned for us. - -The savannah of Quaibaru is not nearly so picturesque as that of -Baramaku, but it occupies a commanding position high above the left bank -of the Kowa valley. As the forest veil falls, you step out on to the -ridge of a grassy hill, whereon are perched three banaboos, one on the -hill-top (2,550 feet above sea-level), the two others in _échelon_ lower -down the ridge. Then come in succession two narrow savannah valleys, -divided by two more savannah ridges, on which also are banaboos. The -houses of the savannah Indians are, as a rule, circular, about thirty -feet in diameter, and they accommodate a large number of people and dogs. -The walls are of mud, about four feet high, and the thatch slopes up -sharply to a high pointed top, so that inside there is a sort of upper -story, where provisions can be stored out of the way of the starving curs -who abound in every village. The houses are only lighted by the doorway, -and are, therefore, very gloomy within, the reason for this being that -the pest of the savannahs, the biting kabouru-fly, never enters a dark -place. The doorways generally face north-east, so as to get all the -breeze possible, the wind blowing almost as steadily from that quarter -over the savannah as it does on the coast. - -We had anticipated much delay at Quaibaru, for we feared that our -droghers, after short rations in the forest, would insist on celebrating -their arrival in inhabited country by a feast. Luckily for us, the -Quaibaru folk, who are Patamonas, were not in a hospitable frame of mind -towards our convoy, though friendly enough to us. They declared that -they had no cassiri and scarcely any cassava, so that our men were soon -anxious to leave. Accordingly we made and ate our breakfast beside -a stream in the first Quaibaru valley, a shadeless and uncomfortable -place, where the Quaibaruvians brought us some excellent bananas, a -limited supply of hard cassava—“wood-bread,” Mr. Menzies called it—and -a bucketful of limes. Mr. Menzies had given the villagers some limes to -plant a few years ago, and the trees had done extremely well. The limes -were welcome, as the stock we had brought up from Potaro Landing was -nearly exhausted. The villagers also undertook to fetch up for us the -salt which we had left behind at Akrabanna, and to bring it after us to -Puwa. - -After a short midday halt we pushed on, winding in and out of the -little Quaibaru valleys under a blazing sun; but a fresh breeze saved -the situation. From a hill-ridge before descending a very steep forest -slope to the Kowa River, we caught our first view of the big savannah, -rising as a shining tableland high up behind smaller tree-clad hills on -the other side of the river. It was a sight for sore eyes, and looked -a veritable “Land of Promise.” An Indian trail always goes bang up the -side of a hill in a straight line, and bang down the other side, with no -thought of gradient or of avoiding unnecessary exertion, so down we had -to go, sliding perpendicularly to the Kowa, hanging on to handy trees -as we passed, and more than once taking an involuntary seat. We crossed -the Kowa on a _tacouba_, just awash with the stream; and after a short -rest and cool down, the process assisted by a limade, we went on through -a forest of luxuriant wild papaw and banana for some distance. Our path -then turned sharply out of the Kowa valley and proceeded to ascend a hill -very nearly as steep as a house in a bee-line upwards. It was a bit of a -scramble, and the stiffest climb we had had since the ascent to Kaietuk, -the last part being a dry watercourse. Once on top, the forest dropped -away. We had a superb view back over the Kowa to Quaibaru-toy, and we -could just see a savannah hill with a tuft of trees on it away behind the -Quaibaru forest. It was Baramaku-toy standing a-tiptoe to see the last of -us. Kowatipu would have been in sight had he not been characteristically -concealed in a rain-cloud. We sat down to admire the glorious breadth of -landscape, hoping also to see our carriers emerge from the bush, for we -were somewhat anxious to know how the Demerara River men would negotiate -the hill. Haywood, who always kept up well, arrived almost as soon as -we did, and inquired exultingly whether “Madam don’t think this country -worth the walk.” I said, “Indeed I did.” - -Haywood always carried his possessions in a bag upon his head, and -managed most skilfully to look after his feet without upsetting his -balance. Indians carry their loads on their backs, with a strap over -each shoulder and a third strap across the forehead. Their hands are -thus free, though Haywood always gave each drogher of our party some -additional etcetera, such as a saucepan, lamp, or a teapot. I used often -to wish I could sketch the oddness of a pair of extremely stalwart, -naked, red legs, surmounted by a mighty bundle, trotting along in -front of me, naught else of the man being visible save a pair of hands -carefully conveying some absurdly civilized object, like a teapot or a -kerosene lamp! - -In days to come it is to be hoped that one of the main roads of British -Guiana may lead up to this plateau; and, when the time is at hand for -building such a road, its trace will probably be carried from the -watershed of the Sirani-baru into the Kowa valley by easy gradients, and -thence round hill contours, without ascending the Baramaku or Quaibaru -savannahs up to the high-level tableland. But the existing trail could -with a few détours at small expense be made into a bridle track suitable -for pack animals and for cattle; and if this were done the savannah -highlands, which are to-day within nineteen hours’ march from the Potaro -at Chenapowu, would be made economically and speedily accessible. A -launch would place Chenapowu within two hours of Kaietuk, and a motor -road would bring Kaietuk within a day’s journey of Bartika. It would -then be a matter of no difficulty and small expense to travel up or down -between the highland savannahs and the coast in three or four days. - -We got tired of waiting for our laggard carriers, took tea, and started -off again. The trail now went once more into the bush for a few minutes, -up and down one more hill, and then emerged into savannah for good. The -sun was very hot and shone straight in our eyes; but the glorious air -prevented fatigue, for every breath of it was like a draught of strength. -Our path ran fairly level through high grass; but, like all Indian -trails, it was uncomfortably narrow, as the Indians put their feet down -one immediately in front of the other. The hills above the right bank of -the Kowa, below the point where we crossed it, form a grassy tableland -with high savannah crests; and, passing through a col between two such -crests, we debouched after two and three-quarter hours’ actual marching -from Quaibaru-toy on the magnificent plateau which forms part of Mr. -Menzies’ ranch. The path dipped down to the deep pool of a stream, near a -waving fringe of high bamboo. To the right rose a low tree-clad hill, and -at its foot we camped in a banaboo built by Mr. Menzies near the northern -boundary of his grazing land close to Karto village. - -[Illustration: MOUNT KOWATIPU FROM THE KARTO TABLELAND. - -To face page 128.] - -Towards sunset my husband and I went up a neighbouring knoll to take -observations. The view over the lovely rolling plain, with its smiling -valleys, was entrancing, and old Kowatipu actually put his head, rather -crossly, out of his cloud for a few seconds. The Karto tableland is a -flat, grassy plateau some 2,400 feet above sea-level. It is bounded on -the east by the Kowa River; on the north-west and south-west by the -Chiung River, both flowing in rifts far below the plateau level; on the -south-east and north by hills which divide the Kowa from the Chiung -valley. Its extreme length from north to south is about seven miles, -and its extreme width from east to west is some eight miles. Its area is -roughly fifty square miles; and the distance across the plateau by our -trail, which ran in a tolerably straight line, my husband estimated at -five miles. The whole tableland forms an excellent grazing-ground; and, -although there was at the time of our visit no water on the central part -of the plateau, there were many streams at its edges, falling into the -Kowa and the Chiung, while across it ran a few dry channels, which are, -no doubt, full of water in the rainy season. The Indian village, named -Karto, stands at the north-west corner of the plateau, not far from Mr. -Menzies’ banaboo. Its provision-fields are partly in the tree-clad hills, -fringing the plateau to the north, and partly down in the fertile Kowa -valley near the point of our crossing. We saw no cattle on the tableland; -but the Karto villagers told us that there was a herd on some very -attractive-looking pasture-grounds near the head of the Chiung River. For -it must be understood that the highlands suitable for grazing are by no -means confined to the tableland which we crossed, and from which we could -see the savannahs round the upper reaches of the Chiung only a little -below our level, while across the valley of the Chiung, lower in its -course, we looked up to a yet higher, and apparently not less extensive, -savannah plateau. These attractive and spacious highlands deserve to be -developed, and would support a considerable population. They would, as it -is, make an admirable hill-station. The scenery is beautiful. The climate -at the season of our visit was delightful. The locality could be made -easily and cheaply accessible from Georgetown, and would, I venture to -think, prove much superior as a health resort to the West India Islands. - -We did not see Mount Roraima from the Karto tableland; but I do not doubt -that from one or other of the savannah hills which surround that plateau -it would be possible to see Roraima, if by fortunate coincidence one -reached the proper point of observation at a time when the mountain was -free from cloud; for on our way back we saw Roraima from many hill-tops, -and even from valleys, which on the way out vouchsafed us no such view. -We did, however, from Karto get our first sight of Mount Chakbang, -standing out conspicuously far away to the west, a rugged finger pointing -to the sky, and the mountains of Mataruka were plainly visible. - -We awoke next morning to find a slight drizzle falling, but it soon -cleared off into a brilliantly sunny day. All the Karto people came to -see us—men, women and children, dogs and waracabra. Indians are very -fond of tame birds, but do not keep them in cages. They fly about as -they like. These villagers were Makusis, and appeared very friendly. Our -droghers were revived and gay, having had overnight a feast of cassava -and cassiri. Cassiri, which is a drink made from cassava, has a magical -effect on these people. It seems to cheer without inebriating—in fact, it -has rather the effect which a cup of good tea or coffee has on a tired -European. - -Our road for a couple of hours now lay over the glorious grass plateau -which forms part of Mr. Menzies’ ranch. Walking was perfectly delightful -in that exhilarating highland air. We had enchanting views of blue -distance in all directions. Far on our left the tableland was bounded -by the rift of the Kowa River, beyond which rolling forest-clad hills -faded into the horizon, whilst nearer to the right the head-waters of -the Chiung River wound away among green savannah mountains, in the knees -of which lay little rounded terraces and small gulleys, studded with -eta-palm. These hills form another tableland about five hundred feet -higher than the one which we traversed, and would probably be a good -country for sheep. None of these smiling, healthy highlands are marked -on the Colony’s maps, and their very existence has, in the past, been -steadfastly denied. - -Mount Mataruka lay south-west of us, almost in a straight line with -our path; but, although we ultimately climbed over its shoulder, our -route first made a wide détour, taking us to Puwa village. From the -south-west end of Mr. Menzies’ tableland we descended some seven hundred -feet in half an hour to a narrow gorge, where four streams, falling in -picturesque cascades from the plateau, converge to form the Kowyann, a -tributary of the Chiung. From this point the Makusis had opened a bridle -track for us through the small forest belts which separate the wide -stretches of savannah; and we could have ridden on horseback the rest of -the way to the Ireng but for the fact that, owing to a misunderstanding -between the chief at Mataruka and a chief in the Kotinga valley, where -the horses were, “shanks his mare” had still to be our mount. We -breakfasted beside the Kowyann, and then took our way down its valley, -steep grassy hills rising on either side of us. We travelled alternately -through little savannahs, whose long waving grass and crooked trees, -pretending to be apple-trees, had a queer resemblance to an English -orchard, and through patches of woodland. The shade in these little -forest belts was very grateful, as the sun was extremely hot. A march -of one and a quarter hours down the Kowyann valley brought us to Chiung -village, where we spent the night. - -This village stands on the left bank of the Chiung River, and here a -large gathering of Makusis had assembled. They seemed very pleased to see -us, and explained that they had cut a broad trail all the way to Puwa. -They also provided an abundance of cassava and cassiri for our droghers. -The village consisted of two houses, with a third unfinished one, which -was being erected for us. The frame was all in place, the wooden bars -tied neatly together with bark-fibre, according to Indian fashion, for -these people do not use any form of nail. The roof of our house was only -partly thatched, and the sides were all open, a fortunate circumstance, -as it was very hot in the enclosed valley. We used our tarpaulin to -screen ourselves off from the rest of the village, which was about fifty -yards away, and at night we enjoyed the brilliant stars, looking down -upon us. We placed our beds immediately under the small portion of thatch -which had been completed, for the excessively heavy dew of the savannahs -makes it unpleasant to sleep entirely _à la belle étoile_. Until -darkness fell we were much troubled by the biting kabouru-flies, which -are slightly larger than the ordinary sand-flies. Their bite is much -more irritating, and raises a red lump with a black spot in the centre. -Though the lump soon dies down, the black speck remains for several days. -I defended myself from the kabouru with a dark veil and gloves, but my -husband and Mr. Menzies were soon sorry objects. The savannah Indians -appear to suffer little, if any, irritation from the bites of kabouru, -but the poor fellows from Arnik and from the Demerara River, being -unaccustomed to this pest, which is not known in the forests, were very -much afflicted. In the highland savannahs kabouru-flies are generally -found near water, and the larger the stream the worse the kabouru; so -we had to pay for our close proximity to the Chiung River, which flowed -with a delicious gurgling noise close to our banaboo. During the night -Mr. Menzies’ quarters were invaded by a raiding dog, who carried off our -excellent ham. This would have been a serious business had we not been -approaching Puwa, the “Land of Plenty” as far as food is concerned. - -Next morning (6th January) we left Chiung village at dawn with a large -convoy, for all the village, including women and babies, came with us. -Ten minutes after our start we forded the Chiung River, an operation -which took another ten minutes and was great fun. The water, deliciously -cold, rose to my knees. But very little walking in that savannah air soon -dries one again completely, a delightful contrast to the bush! - -The path we followed from Chiung to Puwa was nothing more than a big -circuit round a hill. We should have preferred a short-cut over the -summit; but the Indians having prepared a level track for us with much -care along the valleys, we felt that it would be ungrateful not to take -their line. This track ran through a thick belt of forest, fringing the -banks of the Chiung; and the Makusis had most carefully straightened and -cleared the forest path to a width of six to ten feet, removing most -of the tree-stumps, while in places they had actually swept the ground -clean of fallen leaves. The job must have given them a great deal of -trouble, for the trees, though small, were of hardwood varieties, such as -purple-heart and letter-wood, and the road-makers were justly proud of -their work. We were two hours in this forest, but I was walking slowly, -being tired by the unaccustomed exposure to sun during the two preceding -days. Then the trail again emerged into savannah, having left the river, -which winds away to the left round some hills that we crossed over a low -col (1,550 feet above sea-level). - -We now found ourselves in the Ireng valley, though at some distance from -the river, and we halted for breakfast in the little belt of forest -beside a small brook. Here we discovered that we were an enormous party, -for half Puwa village, including Johnny’s wife and sons, had come out to -meet us. The Makusis, as young men, are extremely handsome and well-made, -full of life and movement. Johnny’s sons it was a treat to see, the -eldest especially, a lad of about fifteen. He wore only a loin-cloth and -necklace, with bracelets of beads, carried a bow and arrows, and simply -flew about the place—never walked, but he ran, and every movement was -as graceful as a cat’s. Then there was a dear little fellow about six, -Edward by name, who greeted Haywood most affectionately, and became -a zealous little cook’s mate. I remember we gave him and some small -companions a few of the dried prunes we were eating, and they tied up -each one most carefully in a separate leaf, and said they would take them -to their mothers. I also remember in connection with that meal that Mr. -Menzies and I incautiously partook of red peppers, supplied us by some -hospitable friend, and cried in consequence many bitter and involuntary -tears. - -Our path next lay through a succession of little valleys with graceful -eta-palms growing in all the creeks, and occasionally patches of bush, -through which the Makusis had cut us a royal road. The trail, which had -hitherto run east-south-east, now turned back on itself, the direction -being west-north-west to the Puwa creek, which we forded after another -two hours’ march; and from the ford it took us twenty minutes more to -reach Puwa village. Our path was practically level and very good going -all the way from Chiung to Puwa. The distance, as the crow flies, between -those villages over the hill-tops is only some six miles, but we had -come at least twice that distance. The provision-fields of Puwa village -are in forest, close by the ford, and are very fertile. One yam brought -from these fields and given to us was as much as a man could carry. The -village itself stands on the right bank of the stream from which it takes -its name, and is situated in a ring of hills, two of which we climbed, -being rewarded by a very good view of the Ireng valley and of the river -itself, flowing in a deep-cut trench. Everyone in Puwa was drawn up in -festal array to meet us, very anxious to shake hands, and all who could -boast clothes of any sort had them on. The ladies mostly had their -skirts hung round them, immediately below their arm-pits, whilst the -correct Puwa wear for trousers is to hang them round the shoulders, the -seat forming a sort of mantle behind and the trouser legs quite handy -to flap away flies or wipe a perspiring forehead, as need may arise. -One boy there was who had, I should imagine, been away to work on some -Brazilian ranch, for he was most magnificently got up in a white coat, -blue trousers _on_ his legs, and three necklaces; and he had a larger -number of pins stuck through his lower lip than anyone else. He evidently -fancied himself no end, so we christened him the “Nut.” Both Patamonas -and Makusis have a habit of sticking pins, or, failing these, pieces of -stick, through their lower lips. The Makusi women are very much shorter -than the men, but their figures, save in girlhood, are not pretty. They -carry splendidly, and I should think are as strong as the men. They are -very squat and have immense legs, being beasts of burden from childhood, -whereas the men only carry loads on state occasions. Indians generally -live at a considerable distance from their provision-fields, and often -at some height above water, so that the women are perpetually engaged -in droghing. The Indian children seem to abound everywhere and to enjoy -life. Indeed, I think they live in a children’s Paradise—no lessons, no -clothes, no bed-time! - -Puwa village consisted of three houses, and another, in process of -building for us, was in much the same state as that we occupied in -Chiung. The villagers made me a nice little dressing-room in one corner -of our _benab_ with tarpaulins and a cowhide; and on arrival I subsided -into my hammock to enjoy a glorious cool breeze blowing up the valley, -whilst my husband climbed the steep rocky hill just above the village -to take observations. Meantime all sorts of offerings came in. Piles of -cassava, plantains and bananas, enormous yams, pumpkins, eggs, and a -couple of fowls, one of which Haywood had in the soup in a jiffy. The -people seemed to have a great affection and respect for Mr. Menzies, -and he usually got them to understand somehow what he wanted, although -he does not speak more than six words of their language. “Walky” takes -the place of “makey” in pidgin Makusi. “Um” represents “piecey” of -pidgin Chinese. We went to bed early, the young moon and stars shining -in beautifully upon us; but dogs marauding about amongst our baggage -disturbed us a good deal, as did attendant fleas. Indian dogs are never -fed, so that they may be keen hunters, and they are always mangy and -horribly thin. - -Next day we spent in Puwa, as there was so much to do. Everyone was very -busy. Haywood did some satisfactory and much-needed laundry work. The -Indians drove up a herd of fine short-horn cattle for our inspection, -then a bullock was separated from the rest, driven down to the edge of -the stream, and killed at a blow by a Makusi, after which all the village -assisted at the cutting up and salting. The rest of the cattle smelt -blood, and set up a fearsome bellowing. This herd had been purchased by -Mr. Menzies from Indians in Brazil, and by him driven across the Ireng -River. Another matter to be settled was the method of carrying me, when -necessary, on the line of march. My husband insisted that from time to -time in the heat of the day I should be carried in a hammock slung on a -pole between two carriers. This, of course, was never possible when the -trail ran at all steeply up or down hill. It was quite impossible in the -forest, and my hammock did not come into use for this purpose until we -left Puwa. The expedient was adopted principally to give me opportunities -of rest without thereby delaying the progress of our caravan. Johnny and -Jack, two stalwart Indians from Chiung village, undertook the carrying -job. Then we selected from our stores what we thought we should ourselves -consume during the next fortnight—jam, oatmeal, sausages, chocolate, -dried fruit, cheese, biscuits, tea and coffee, enough to make a load -for one man. The rest, together with a few of our personal belongings, -we handed over to the headman of Puwa, to keep in his banaboo until we -returned. We also settled that the whole of our droghers from Chenapowu, -save two, should remain and be fed in Puwa during such time as we were -on our way to and from Roraima. The two we took with us were Edward and -Moses, both Makusis, who particularly requested to be allowed to come. -The Amik boys went with us next day to Mataruka, and then returned to -Puwa to rest, so that they might be fresh for the return journey through -the Kowatipu forest. - -When the chief part of cutting up the bullock had been accomplished and -long strips of it had been salted and dried in the sun, Mr. Menzies -worked a gramophone, to everyone’s great delight. This gramophone had -been brought up in fulfilment of a request from Albert, the headman -of Mataruka. He had asked for a church bell, a gramophone, and “high -wines”—that is, rum—as a reward for the services which he would give us -in connection with our farther journey. Mr. Menzies had undertaken on -our behalf that the first two of his wishes should be fulfilled if he -arranged to have his people ready to convey us from Mataruka to Roraima. -With the gramophone we supplied half a dozen records; and as I listened -to the hideous machine screaming out its ragtime, “Tipperary,” etc., sung -with an appalling Yankee twang, I wished we could have done something -better for the poor dears. - -A nice breeze blew all day, and we were not troubled by kabouru save in -the very early morning. After tea-time we strolled up a little hill close -by and enjoyed the cool of the afternoon and a lovely view of the Puwa -and Ireng valleys. We had excellent grilled steak for dinner; but the -dogs were worse than ever at night, trying to get at the meat that had -been hung up to dry. The Indians sat up eating the remains of the bullock -nearly all night. They made remarkably little noise over their feast, and -appeared perfectly fresh and gay next morning. - -On the following morning there was great delay in getting off owing -to the redistribution of loads; so my husband and I started off by -ourselves, with my hammock-bearers ahead to show us the way. But more -haste, less speed! Johnny and Jack, for reasons best known to themselves, -saw fit to guide us down into a low stuffy valley, shut off by high hills -from any breath of wind, and we struggled along for an hour and a half -through bush and old yam and cassava cultivation by a path which at times -did not admit of our standing upright. Finally we climbed out of the -valley, up a steep col, where we joined our caravan of droghers and Mr. -Menzies, who had come by a shorter and quicker route along a hill-ridge, -affording a fine view of mountain scenery far and near. From the point -where the two trails converge, an hour’s march over a charming and -spacious savannah valley, in which there are some rice-fields, and up a -low hill, leads to a banaboo, beautifully situated some six hundred feet -above the Ireng, now in full view, and commanding a superb panorama. To -the south lay the fertile, golden-looking Mataruka plain, crossed by the -line of the Waikana creek; to the south-east was a tangle of big hills -beyond the Ireng; to the east the Puwa hills and a glimpse of the Karto -tableland; from north through west to south, beyond the winding Ireng, -the most glorious stretch of open rolling grass hills and valleys that -one could wish to see; and beyond all that, in the far, far distance, -was Roraima’s great block, some sixty miles away in the direct line of -vision. Of course, it was impossible at that distance to distinguish -between Roraima, Kukenaam, and Weitipu. We merely saw a dim blue mass, -obviously very much higher than anything near it. - -The air on our hill-top was absolutely glorious, and a strong breeze blew -steadily. The place is too high for the kabouru, and we spent a couple -of hours enjoying ourselves, and ate a most excellent midday meal. Our -menu consisted of beefsteak, potatoes, onions, yams, biscuits, cheese, -prunes, lemonade and coffee; and we laughed at the idea of the starvation -journey which an expedition to Roraima is always supposed to be. Haywood -cooked inside the banaboo, to get out of the wind, and his grilled steak -was first-class. The banaboo gave us pleasant shade during the meal, for -we sat in the open immediately under the thatch-eaves. In the afternoon -we descended sharply to the left bank of the Ireng, which is here the -boundary of British Guiana. By the river-side the kabouru were one black -cloud, and I was thankful for my dark blue veil, which appeared to scare -them off me. The boat we wanted was on the Brazilian side of the river, -so one of our men sprang into the water, swam across for it, and paddled -gaily back to us, apparently not the least out of breath, although the -Ireng here is wide and flows with a swirling current. We hastily got into -the dug-out and crossed the river, landing at a point where the Waikana -creek from the Mataruka plain flows into the Ireng. So we left British -Guiana for Brazil. - - - - -A CORNER OF BRAZIL - - - - -CHAPTER VIII - -A CORNER OF BRAZIL - - Across the hills, and far away - Beyond their utmost purple rim. - - TENNYSON: _The Day-Dream_. - - -It took some time to ferry our whole party across the Ireng, as there -were only three boats available—namely, two small dug-outs and a large -one, the latter specially made for us by the Mataruka people. The -crossing was an amusing performance to watch, and very picturesque the -dug-outs looked piled up with baggage and people. Meanwhile, my husband -and I rested in shade under some trees at the mouth of the Waikana creek, -which drains the Mataruka savannah and joins the Ireng through a narrow -rift between hills that completely conceal the plain from the river-side. -But, once through this gate, an extensive flat prairie lies before you; -and an hour’s march over it brings you to Mataruka village, at the foot -of the mountain of the same name, which we had first seen from the Karto -tableland, and which had been in view off and on ever since. Even at the -village you are only halfway across this admirable pasture-land, which is -flanked on the east by Mount Bulak-köyepin, a landmark conspicuous during -many days of our journey, and on the south by the hills that divide the -Ireng from the Kotinga watershed. A tropical sun blazed down out of a -cloudless sky, and I was extremely glad to avail myself of the hammock, -and to find that the men carried me very comfortably. They bore me along -faster than I could have walked. - -Mataruka is a large Makusi village; and we found all its inhabitants -drawn up in two long lines, with their chief, Albert, at their head, -waiting to shake hands. I did wish that the fashion of shaking hands -had not spread to this far-away corner of Brazil, and I left the brunt -of it to my husband; but all the mothers brought their babies to me to -shake hands. They seem to regard it as a most important ceremony, and, -of course, we should have hated to hurt the feelings of this friendly, -pleasant people. Albert, a very stout and heavy personage, whom we did -not much like, wore a pink shirt and grey trousers, all much too small -for his portly figure. In expectation of his church bell and gramophone, -he had mustered his people from far and wide to meet us. He had also -caused a banaboo to be built for us, a very large, though unfinished -edifice, of which the greater part of the roof had been completed and -also the sides to windward—a fortunate circumstance, as the wind sweeps -ceaselessly over the Mataruka plain. We went into our house, followed by -the entire village; and Albert then brought up Joseph, our future guide, -a very shy Makusi cowboy. My husband asked him how many days the journey -to Roraima would take, and he answered by nervously reeling off all the -names of mountains and rivers we should pass. This certainly made it -sound a very long way indeed. Joseph we found to be a really good fellow, -and we became very fond of him before the end of our journey. - -These preliminaries being over, “gramophone talked,” with great success, -and was duly handed over to Albert after he had been instructed how to -work it, together with his church bell. No sooner had that been done than -he proceeded to ring the bell as a summons to the villagers to come to -church. Albert, who has strong ecclesiastical leanings, has set apart -as a church in his village a very nice banaboo with a pointed apse -containing a picture of the Madonna and Child. Logs on the floor serve -as pews for the congregation, which trooped in dutifully at the sound of -the bell—men, women and children, dogs and poultry. Then began a sort of -religious service; for Albert conducts lengthy prayers and hymn-singing -every morning and afternoon. We could frequently catch the words “Ave -Maria” and “Spiritus Sanctus”; and, whenever the congregation fastened -upon any phrase or tune they knew, they all shouted lustily together. -Albert himself intones rather well, having been taught by an itinerant -Roman Catholic priest. On every day we spent in the village Matins and -Evensong were duly celebrated, while in the intervals the gramophone -proved a great success. There are several houses in Mataruka, and also -a corral for the cattle. At our request, a herd of about fifty head was -driven into the corral for our inspection; and the Makusis said there -were, in addition, plenty of wild cattle round about. Here we enjoyed a -plentiful supply of new milk, brought to us in large gourds, and on our -return journey a bullock was killed for our benefit. - -The dogs of Mataruka were unfortunately even more insistent than those -we had hitherto had to endure. Nothing was safe from the miserable -starving brutes. They sprang upon the rough tables made of cross-wise -branches and snatched anything that was put down for a second. Poor -Haywood was almost beside himself, and was quite hurt with me for -collapsing with laughter as a dog swallowed three eggs and made off with -two fish that had been brought as a gift. The fish were certainly very -stale and the eggs probably likewise, so it was not a matter to grieve -over, as the loss of a precious ham at Chiung had been. We went to bed as -usual at dusk. The night was chilly, and the glory of the stars above the -wide plain was wonderful. - -We were up again breakfasting on porridge and fresh milk by starlight -with a sinking Southern Cross before dawn of day (9th January). There -was, however, much delay in starting off, as we had an almost entirely -new set of carriers. The Mataruka folk appeared to regard our expedition -to Roraima in the light of a pleasure trip, and a large number of -women, and even one baby in arms, accompanied us on the march there and -back. I think they enjoyed the idea of a pilgrimage through the Arekuna -country under a safe escort. There is no love lost between Makusi and -Arekuna; the latter are stronger men and fiercer, but the former are -much more numerous. So, our camp-followers being many, the usual load -for a drogher, which is between fifty and sixty pounds, was considerably -reduced, and several men carried next to nothing. Our rate of travel was -thereby much accelerated, and everyone was extremely cheerful, regarding -the whole jaunt as great fun. - -From Albert’s village our trail ascended between Mount Mataruka on our -right and Mount Kako on our left. The valley, up which we climbed, was -very hot, even at half-past seven in the morning, and we wound up it with -the sun at our backs towards an elusive pass over a succession of ridges, -each one pretending to be the real summit, and when we had surmounted -it, behold! there was yet another beyond. It was an exceedingly pretty -valley with long golden grass, dotted with picturesque shade trees; but -the Indians behind us set fire to the grass, and on our return it was a -blackened desolation. Indians always set fire to the prairies when they -travel, partly to keep the trails clear and make walking easier than -it would be in long grass, and incidentally to drive away snakes, but -partly out of merely childish pleasure in the blaze. It is very bad for -the country, as the soil after a burning tends to get washed off the -hills by the next heavy rain. - -When, after climbing for an hour and a quarter, we really reached the -final ridge at a point 2,350 feet above sea-level, the view was glorious -and the air so keen and invigorating, so strong and beautiful, that -with each breath we seemed to be drinking health and energy. From this -pass the most striking feature of the landscape was Mount Chakbang, far -away to the west-north-west. It looks in shape somewhat like a clenched -fist, with one finger pointing up to the sky. This mountain is indeed a -surveyor’s friend, for it is visible and unmistakable from nearly every -elevated point in the country. - -Joseph, our guide, a most picturesque bronze figure, with his scarlet -loin-cloth, his little quake containing a hammock and drinking gourd on -his back, and a pair of chickens on his arm to assist the commissariat, -was always close to my husband, telling him the names of all the hills -far and near, whenever we halted for observations. He was tall and very -lean and carried a knife in his hand, with which he would gesticulate -to himself as he walked, describing semicircles in the air with it, or -pointing away to distant hills, evidently reciting in his mind all the -different trails of the neighbourhood. - -From the col between Mount Mataruka and Mount Kako, the trail taken -by Joseph descended slightly across an upland savannah and led us in -forty-five minutes to another col between the hills to the east of -Rera, a plain almost as large as that of Mataruka and exceedingly well -watered, draining into the Kotinga. Rera is Joseph’s home, and he pointed -out his house far away to the south of the golden savannah on a knoll, -where stood three banaboos with cattle grazing close by. No breath of -air stirred in the Rera plain, and I was glad of my hammock. Johnny and -Jack had evidently found my weight the day before more than they could -bear, and had each provided himself with a tin canister instead; but -I had two fresh volunteers, an old man, whose name did not transpire, -and his son, who called himself “Misterquick.” Mr. Quick is an Anglican -parson who used to visit the district. These two Makusis carried well; -but Indians dislike weights on their shoulders, as they are accustomed -to carrying on the back, and they often complained, “Mamma heavy.” I did -not, however, require them to carry me for long at a time, though the -hammock was very useful in enabling me to rest every now and then for ten -or fifteen minutes without delaying the line of march. - -After skirting the Rera plain for some distance past the foot of Mount -Kurowya, we crossed a rather nasty little eta-swamp, and then turned -off at a right angle to ascend a pass between Mount Kumâraying and -Mount Sakmann—a steep and rocky track. Halfway up we stopped to take -lunch, where a delicious rippling brook crossed our path. Unfortunately, -there was little shade and no breeze, so it was very warm. We made an -excellent meal off our Puwa beefsteak, for meat keeps several days in -this atmosphere. We also took note of the extraordinary number of people -in our train; but, as only nineteen claimed rations, we realized that the -others had come independently for the sake of the journey. There were -some uncommonly good fellows amongst our men. Daniel, Joseph’s great -friend and ally, was a thoroughly hard-working boy. A younger Thomas -formed with Haywood our commissariat, and a very efficient one too. -Thomas carried the lunch-basket and all the materials and implements -immediately necessary for making and eating a meal, and he stuck firmly -to a position just behind Haywood, which meant that he was always well -to the front. Thomas also became a very handy man about camp, and learnt -with Indian deftness to manipulate our folding beds, chairs, and table. -In return for these services, he was admitted to mess with Haywood, who -took care that he should always have enough to eat, or rather that there -should be plenty, for an Indian has an infinite appetite and can never -have enough. Haywood observed to me once: “I does like to see Thomas eat. -He eat so diligent”; and it was an apt remark, for Thomas would squat -down to finish the remains in a saucepan with an air of rapt thought, -the complete concentration of a man who is faced with one of the great -tasks of life, and he would scour and scour again the inside of the pots -with his spoon, until no smallest speck of food could possibly be scraped -together, before he would consent to wash them. Thomas’s wife came too, -carrying a baby, as well as a quake with their hammocks and food. I was -rather anxious about that baby the first day, exposed to torrid sun with -nothing on its head; but it was perfectly well and cheerful the whole -time—a fine little boy. Johnny and Jack of Chiung were another pair of -stalwart friends. Jack wore a felt hat with a green ribbon run in and out -round the crown. It looked a very quaint apex to his brawny, bronze-red -figure. He was an exceptionally powerful fellow, whilst Johnny was a -dear old man to whom we became much attached. He would come holding out -his hand, saying “Mamma” in a most appealing way, to beg for a piece of -chocolate; and if I refused him a bit, he would sulk just like a spoiled -child, and pretend to be deaf when spoken to. Then the “Pirate,” as we -christened him on account of a red handkerchief he wore tied round his -head, his real name being Alexander, was a cheery personage, always to -the fore, despite the fact that he was very elderly; and he was closely -followed by his nimble, if likewise elderly, wife. The “Nut,” too, having -discarded necklaces and trousers, proved a useful retainer. - -After our meal we started again up the hill. It certainly was a roasting -climb; but a delicious breeze met us on the top and fanned us as we went -down the other side. We descended into a small grass plain, at the end -of which we crossed a narrow strip of bush, where, as usual, a path -had recently been cleared for us; and then, following the bank of a -delightful jasper-bedded little stream with pretty cascades and crystal -clear water, we wound in and out between low hills in a narrow valley -until the trail again took us to a hill-top, whence we perceived that we -had come in a sweeping semicircle from Mataruka back to the Ireng, which -was again at our feet. At this point we were two and three-quarter hours’ -march from the col between hills above the east end of the Rera plain, -say six miles by the trail in all its windings; but the distance back to -the col between Mount Mataruka and Mount Kako was only four miles in the -direct line of vision. Plainly, therefore, there must be some straighter, -if more arduous, path over this stretch of country; and, as a matter of -fact, the Arekunas who accompanied us on our return journey did make a -short-cut, which took them from the Paiwa valley to the saddle between -Mount Mataruka and Mount Kako without traversing the Rera plain. Their -path was, however, described by Joseph, with an expressive gesture, -as “Mountain-top, mountain-top, mountain-top.” We could now see the -savannah peaks above Enamung as well as those near Puwa, and it would -evidently be possible to reach Enamung from the Karto tableland by a -route far more direct than ours had been. Indeed, Joseph afterwards told -us of a trail leading from Karto village to Enamung in two stages. That -would undoubtedly be the best line for any future traveller bound for -Roraima, as the long détour through Chiung, Puwa, Mataruka, and Rera, is -thus avoided. Still, we did not object to the longer march. It was all -very delightful in the keen air and sunshine, and I realized with great -thankfulness that I was now hardening to the sun and felt extremely fit -and well. - -From our hill-top we continued for some time along a ridge, descending -gradually at first, and then sharply, till after twenty-three minutes’ -walk we forded a beautiful clear stream, almost at the level of the -Ireng, which it joined a short distance to our right. Then, on a low -knoll beyond, we stepped upon some stone slabs with curious markings on -them, and here Joseph said, “Makunaima pickaninny, he dead.” Makunaima is -the goddess whose tears, shed for the loss of her pickaninny, are said to -form Roraima’s waterfalls, and this we supposed to be the child’s burial -place. Then came another little flat meadow, a strip of woodland over -some undulating ground, and we again emerged into a large grassy plain in -the middle of which stands Paröwöpö village. I say “village,” but there -was only one banaboo and an open building, which the few women about the -place called “church,” but which contained no holy pictures nor any sign -of worship. Our whole party established ourselves in this “church”; and, -while we took tea, the women brought cassiri for our droghers. As each -fresh batch of men came in, the cassiri bowl was handed to Joseph to give -them at his good pleasure. After tea we had some difficulty in getting -our caravan to restart from Paröwöpö. They explained that Enamung was -“far far”; but, Joseph having prescribed Enamung as our destination for -the night, we would not listen, but pressed on. - -Another hour and a quarter brought us to Enamung village. The trail, -after leaving the Paröwöpö plain, passed through the forest-belt which -fills the low saddle between the hills that separate the two savannahs. -The trail in this forest had been admirably cleaned and widened, and even -the leaves had been swept off the path. Towards sunset we emerged from -the bush into a lovely scene, open savannah, with a broad stream curving -through it in a semicircle. On our side of this stream the ground rose -and fell in pleasant undulations, whilst on the other side it rolled up -into high grassy peaks. We could hear a cataract roaring on the right, -where the river disappeared from view. This river, called the Wairann, -is a tributary of the Ireng, and we followed its course upstream for -several miles next day. The Enamung village consists of two houses and -a cattle-pen, perched up on a grassy knoll just above the right bank of -the Wairann. A more beautiful spot for a camp cannot be imagined. But -we had barely time to spread our tarpaulin over a wooden framework that -stood between the two banaboos before night closed in on us; and just as -dusk was falling some children drove up cattle into the pen. We counted -twelve head. They were a good, short-horned, straight-backed breed. This -was the last place at which we saw cattle on our outward journey. Of -course, the herds one sees at the various Makusi villages are only the -tame cattle; and we were told that a far larger number roam wild among -these uninhabited savannahs, and are shot by the Indians, when they have -a craving for fresh beef. - -It grew very cold directly the sun had gone down, and the moon circled -with earth-shine was glorious, likewise the stars. Luckily there was no -wind, as our camp was most exposed. The Indians and Mr. Menzies all slept -inside the banaboos; but we were in the open, and, as we lay with all our -blankets over us, looking into the infinite depths of the starry skies, -the muffled roar of the distant cataract filling the air, four lines of -Matthew Arnold’s which have always haunted me and filled me with longing -since I was a child came into my mind: - - In the moonlight the shepherds, - Soft lulled by the rills, - Lie wrapped in their blankets, - Asleep on the hills. - -On the morrow we were up again by starlight and admired an exceptionally -bright Southern Cross. Then, after swallowing a large plateful of -porridge each, washed down with some coffee, we were off on the trail as -day dawned. From Enamung village a climb of twenty-three minutes took -us to the brow of a hill, whence we had a good view up the valley of -the Wairann and far beyond to Mount Weitipu, one of the giants standing -near Roraima. The path, however, dropped down again to the river, which -curved back to us, and we followed its right bank upstream for two hours -in a beautiful valley. On the left bank rose an almost perpendicular -grassy hill; but we wound alternately through meadows, strewn with big -black boulders, and through belts of woodland, where, as before, a -bridle track had been cleared for us. The river was roaring in cataracts -or meandering in still reaches beside us or racing round islands. It -contains a large volume of water. - -Our caravan halted for “breakfast” unusually early, and we expostulated -with Joseph; but he waved his hand in the direction of our onward path, -which was now to leave the beautiful Wairann, and said, “Tuna (_i.e._, -_water_) far, far.” The Indians have a manner of saying “f-a-a-r-far” in -a faint voice that is wonderfully expressive of distance. - -When the meal was over we resumed our march, and a five minutes’ climb -uphill, followed by a seventeen minutes’ march across a small plateau, -finally took us from the watershed of the Ireng to that of the Kotinga. -From the small plateau we again obtained a glorious view of Mount -Weitipu, rising high and blue above all intervening hills. The next hour -was spent in descending from the plateau, fording a little brook which -falls into the Karakanang, a tributary of the Kotinga, re-ascending on -to another and very stony tableland, to the south-east of which was the -Karakanang gorge, far below the level of our trail, and so reaching the -point where that river is forded by stepping-stones of red jasper just -above its leap from the plateau level into the gorge. The heat of the -sun, though intense at midday, was mitigated by a heavenly breeze that -fanned us steadily. Flights of locusts rose at our approach and flew -round us, hitting us all over. The Indians eagerly caught as many as -they could and ate them raw on the spot, regarding them, apparently, as -titbits. - -The Karakanang is a most fascinating river, flowing crystal clear in a -succession of little vertical falls, or else sliding over long, smooth -slabs of jasper into limpid green pools. This is the regular formation of -river-beds in the upper Kotinga watershed. The colouring of that country -is exquisite: greeny-grey grass, red soil, and blue-green crystal-clear -water, flowing over coral-red jasper bottoms. When we had crossed -the Karakanang, the tableland widened into a fine grassy savannah, -surrounded by a stately amphitheatre of hills, and we marched over -easily-undulating ground for an hour and a half, crossing in that time no -less than six small streams, that flowed through gulleys in the plateau -to join the Karakanang. The course of these tiny cañons could be traced -afar off by the eta-palms growing in them. At last we came to a rift in -the tableland, where, beyond another small stream, there was a strip of -forest, through which, for the first time since leaving Karto tableland, -we found that no trail had been cleared for us—a plain hint that we were -now passing from the land of the Makusis into that of the Arekunas. -Moreover, the stream, where we reached it, ran in a deep pool, too deep -to ford; so, while Joseph and some of the men were felling a couple of -small trees for us to cross by, and clearing a path through the wood, -we sat down under a big tree, drank cold tea, which Haywood had handy, -and ate chocolate. Joseph’s arrangements being complete, we crossed the -pool on his makeshift bridge, and a few minutes’ walk brought us to the -other side of the bush. Thence our trail gradually sloped down over a -grassy savannah to meet the Warukma River, where it races down over a -jasper bed, glittering under the sun, from the heart of the mountain -amphitheatre that swept round in a majestic circle to our left. - -We forded the Warukma and camped on the ledges of its left bank. These -torrents, when swollen by heavy rain, must be a splendid sight, but they -would then be very difficult to cross. A delicious current of icy-cold -water was flowing in the bed of the Warukma; but wide stretches of -jasper floor were uncovered and dry, and on one of these Joseph and -his men improvised for us a most ingenious tent. They placed one end -of a ridge-pole in the fork of a tree on the bank; the other end they -supported on cross-wise poles, whose bases they propped up with big -stones. They then stuck short uprights, on which to tie the tarpaulin, -in cracks of the ledge and buttressed them up with stones. It was very -picturesque. The ledge made us a beautiful, clean, level floor, and this -was, in fact, the nicest camp of our journey. We bathed in a natural -“porphyry font,” a few yards upstream from our tent. The water was -stone-cold and clear, and the pool very deep. Little fish, about the size -of a trout which would be thrown back as too small, and of a bright green -colour, with black “eyes” on them, came swimming up curiously to examine -us. We had a still, cloudless night; the moon was very bright, but not -large enough to dim the radiance of the stars. - -We woke to find the weather deliciously cool and grey; and, after our -porridge and coffee, we started “under the opening eyelids of the -morn” to climb steadily until we reached the ridge of the mountain -amphitheatre. It was an hour’s ascent. At the top we found a fine, -grassy, high-level plateau, well watered, but almost treeless, which -it took us just half an hour to cross. The freshness of the grey -morning gave wings to our feet. We crossed a brook and a water-hole -on this plateau, for the country is wonderfully irrigated, and every -tableland seems provided with springs of clear water. At the far end -of the plateau, before descending, we had a superb view back to Mounts -Mataruka and Bulak-köyepin. Given favourable weather conditions, Roraima, -Kukenaam, Wei-assipu, Weitipu, and Muköripö can all be seen from the -trail itself at this point, which is 3,150 feet above sea-level; but on -our outward journey they were densely veiled in cloud. If you climb a -peak rising above the plateau a little to the east, Mount Chakbang also -comes into sight. It is a splendid observation-post for a surveyor, and -for that reason my husband labelled it “Landmark Peak.” - -Our path now descended very gradually in the valley of a stream, -which rises on “Landmark Peak” and soon becomes a fine jasper-bedded -watercourse, the trail betaking itself to the river-bed, where the smooth -slabs made excellent going. This stream is called Aimaratökpai. It was -very nearly dry—a fortunate thing for us; but I should love to see these -rivers rushing down in spate over their smooth stone floors. The bed of -this particular stream had weathered to a slate-blue colour, but there -was a good deal of pink, disintegrated jasper sand lying on it. The -effect of the blue floor, with its pink streaks of sand and the grey -hills above it, was very lovely and curious. - -Too soon the line suddenly decided to leave this friendly river-bed, -and we had to scramble up a steep bluff about sixty feet in height. An -Indian trail always makes a great point of doing the unexpected. We then -traversed a very switchback of a path, winding over hill-spurs, until -we gained the top of a steep slant into the valley of the Waraïna, a -confluent of the Kotinga. The view from this spot, before we descended, -was beautiful, and our whole company sat down to admire it. Indians love -to look out over a big stretch of country, and it is amusing to watch a -crowd of them pointing out to each other all the salient features and -tracing with finger-tips the directions of different trails over distant -hills. Their language seems onomatopœic, and at times one can gather the -gist of their conversation without understanding one word. It sounds -very much as though they spoke in tones, like the Chinese, but, much -more quietly. They are a curiously quiet people, the result, I suppose, -of living amid that big, silent Nature. We never heard them sing on the -line of march, or even when paddling, and they seldom raise their voices. -In camp, with thirty of them close by, they never disturbed us. If we -happened to wake in the night, only the flicker of the fires, which they -keep going throughout the dark hours, reminded us that they were near us; -and even in their villages they make little noise. A mere dozen blacks or -Chinese would give one a very different tale to tell. - -A steep scramble downhill brought us to the side of a brook, which we -followed for a short distance, and which flows into the Waraïna. We -left the brook just before the watersmeet, and crossing in the fork -a little belt of land, where some fine cassava was growing, we forded -the Waraïna. Then a short walk took us to our breakfast camp on the -Opamapö, another confluent of the Waraïna. This is one of the prettiest -spots in the country; for here the Opamapö makes a vertical leap of some -sixty feet over a red jasper cliff into a clear, deep, jasper-ledged, -tree-girt pool. The crowning note of colour came from a purple-blossomed -tree projecting over the cliff-side. We sat on the tree-shaded ledges -above the fall, drawing water for our meal from a limpid, green pool, -and the stream beyond wound away fringed with eta-palm. Steep, green -hill-shoulders formed the far horizon. - -[Illustration: WARATUK RAPIDS.] - -[Illustration: OPAMAPÖ WATERFALL. - -To face page 172.] - -After an hour and a quarter’s rest, during which we ate cold chicken, one -of the four brought with us from Mataruka, and our men regaled themselves -with cassava and dried beef, we proceeded on our way, fording the -Opamapö. The weather was still delightfully grey and cool, and we met a -few light, passing showers—greetings from Roraima behind his cloud-wall. -We marched in a steadily widening valley for fifty minutes until we -reached the crest of a low ridge that forms the water-parting between -the streams that feed the Waraïna and the basin of the Kotinga itself. -The latter river, however, as had previously been the case with the -Ireng, remained invisible until we reached its edge. We were now in the -gently-sloping pasture-lands of a magnificent valley, beautifully watered -by numerous streams, whose course is marked in the lush grass by avenues -of eta-palms; but no human habitation or sign of cattle could anywhere be -seen. We put up a big deer, but it escaped us easily. There were signs -that a fire, probably lit by travelling Indians, had recently passed over -the place, the grass being very young and green, and the stems of the -palms blackened and scorched. On our right we now saw Mount Weitipu quite -clearly, with Mount Muköripö, an oddly-shaped rocky cone, close beside -him. The ground undulates gently, forming a plateau some three hundred -feet above both banks of the Kotinga, which flows in a narrow trench -below the spacious acclivities of the surrounding country. - -At last from the edge of this plateau we saw at our feet the Kotinga -itself, with its turquoise-blue water, flowing through a valley of -brightest green, dotted with eta-palms. So attractive and refreshing -it looked that we little guessed the hidden plague awaiting us, until -Joseph said resignedly, pointing down to the river: “Kabouru plenty, -plenty.” We now descended quickly to the left bank of the river, crossing -the ravine of a boisterous little brook on the way. The river-bed is -here about 2,200 feet above sea-level; and the ford is not far below -the confluence of the Kwating from the north-west and the Pipi—another -blue jewel in a setting of eta-palms—from the north-east, to form the -Kotinga proper. It was by far the most serious obstacle of the kind that -we had to negotiate. The river at the ford is some two hundred feet -wide, and contains near the left bank an island of some size—the usual -camping-ground of Indians on their way over this trail—and near the right -bank another much smaller island. The ford runs diagonally across at the -brink of a small rapid over jasper rocks, water-worn and slippery, and -would doubtless be quite impassable when the river comes down in spate. -As it was, the water came well above my husband’s knees; and, the current -being strong, we had to plant our feet carefully at each step to avoid -an accident. We had by this time become quite accustomed to wading over -streams, and much enjoyed the delicious feeling of the stone-cold water -round our feet and legs. Our clothes and our canvas rubber-soled boots -dried very quickly in the sun after each such crossing. Joseph wanted us -to camp on the island near the left bank, but we did not like the look of -it. It was covered with dense bush, and the kabouru, from which pest we -had been happily free since crossing the Ireng, rose in their millions -to receive us. Besides, we felt that a ford, once begun, is better done -and finished with. It was great fun getting across. Joseph held my arm -firmly, and piloted me with much care and skill. The long file of our -Indians, men and women, gingerly picking their way along the brink of the -rapid, was a quaint sight. - -[Illustration: FORDING THE KOTINGA RIVER. - -To face page 174.] - -On the right bank of the Kotinga, in the neighbourhood of the ford, there -was no “bush,” without which, of course, one cannot camp, as firewood -is essential, and the Indians must have trees on which to hang their -hammocks. So we moved on, the trail turning downstream to the left and -then up an eta-fringed brook. After a little while we forded this brook, -and, having crossed a low ridge, we made camp at 4.30 p.m. on the banks -of another stream in a clump of bush at its edge. Alas! there was no -escaping the kabouru! As soon as we had halted, they came about us in -swarms, and rendered life intolerable until dark, at 6.30 p.m., when they -all disappeared. The ups and downs of camp life are truly astonishing! -The night before, in the Warukma bed, we had had as perfect a site for -our camp as we could possibly desire, whilst the Kotinga valley camp -could not well have been more disagreeable. It was not a picturesque camp -either, for the surroundings had recently been scorched by fire. The -stream beside us was, however, pretty enough. It dropped in a cascade -into a steep gulley at our feet, there disappearing into a dense thicket. -But there was no level ground, so that we spent an uncomfortable night -with our beds at a slant. I would strongly advise future travellers by -this route to endeavour to ford the Kotinga early enough in the day to -permit of their camping for the night some way up the hills to the north -or south of the valley, at a distance from the river. - -Next day (12th January) we were up, dressed, and packed before dawn, -to avoid the kabouru. It was a glorious, cool morning. A heavy dew -sparkled on the grass, and the air was keen and fresh. Our path continued -obstinately to the left, despite the fact that our goal lay behind -Weitipu on the right; and we passed over beautiful undulating meadows, -like English hayfields ready for the scythe, and then round hill-spurs, -until after one and three-quarter hours’ march we reached the valley -of the Chitu, a large confluent of the Kotinga, crossing on our way -frequent little brooks that tumbled down steep gulleys. Here the Indians -and Haywood killed a snake in the grass, and the latter said it was a -_labaria_ and poisonous; but is a snake ever killed which the people -concerned in the daring deed do not declare to be deadly? - -We forded the northern fork of the Chitu close to the point where it -descends out of a steep line of hills, and up the steepest part of these -hills our trail then proceeded to climb. Pink soil showed through the -grass, which was now short and growing in tussocks, so that we knew -we were still on jasper formation. The hill ascended in a series of -terraces, the ascent between each being almost vertical; and on each -terrace we paused to drink in the wonderful beauty of the widening view, -for our hill-side commanded a great stretch of the Kotinga valley, -shut in far away by the mountain ranges we had crossed in the previous -forenoon. The sun filtered through the clouds enough to light up the -scene with the most extraordinary and exquisite colouring, the far hills -being a marvellous sapphire and the nearer country a brilliant emerald, -patched with purple cloud shadows. It reminded me dimly of old stained -glass and of the colouring of Rossetti’s pictures. We were climbing the -crest of the hill-ridge in the fork between the northern and southern -branches of the Chitu River, and one hour’s effort brought us to the -summit. We then had a view right back to “Landmark Peak,” while in front -of us stretched a tableland, over which the wind blew keen and cold, -for we were 4,500 feet above sea-level. Such a country! And there it -lies, all untouched and unknown, the great silence of solitude brooding -over it! Save for a handful of nomadic Indians scattered over the vast -prairies, never a man treads these lonely regions. - -For the next hour and a half our path lay over charming upland savannah, -with here and there a strip of woodland, intersected by numerous brooks -hurrying down in cascades to meet the Chitu. We halted beside one of -these rivulets, crossing, as usual, just above a cascade that fell into -the customary deep green pool. We had to put our coats on directly we -stopped to rest, for the sky was overcast and a chilly but invigorating -wind was blowing. Anyone who filled these highland valleys with cattle -and built himself a jasper house amidst the life-giving breezes of the -hills would have his lot cast in a fair land. After luncheon we walked -on again, and were caught in one or two light showers of cold drizzle, -though not enough to soak our clothes. We descended slightly to cross the -southern fork of the Chitu, racing down to its valley. The ford is short, -but deep. Then we climbed to the head-waters of the Chitu close by. Here -is, we believe, the divide between the Amazon and the Orinoco; and, if -so, at this point we presumably crossed from Brazil into Venezuela. -These two republics, however, have not delimited the frontier in this -neighbourhood. - - - - -THE VENEZUELAN APPROACH TO RORAIMA - - - - -CHAPTER IX - -THE VENEZUELAN APPROACH TO RORAIMA - - There, among the flowers and grasses, - Only the mightier movement sounds and passes; - Only the winds and rivers, - Life and death. - - R. L. STEVENSON: _In the Highlands_. - - -From the ridge above the head-waters of the Chitu we descended gently, -and after fifteen minutes’ march we forded the Maipa, a deep, sluggish -stream, with a belt of forest at its farther side. On the projecting -branch of a tree a glorious purple orchid, the only one we saw during our -journey, was admiring its reflection in the water. The Maipa probably -belongs to the Orinoco watershed. We then traversed the narrow forest -belt on the farther bank, and emerged into a curiously-rifted savannah, -which led us to the foot of another abrupt hill-side. Up it we went, -and found ourselves at the edge of a vast rolling plain, Weitipu on our -right and far beyond a big fog-bank, which we knew concealed Roraima. -His great form loomed dark in the cloud. This tableland, at the extreme -south-east edge of which we stood, extends past the foot of Mount Weitipu -almost to the foot of Roraima, and then drops down to the Kukenaam River. -Its average level is fully 3,800 feet above the sea, its gentle grassy -undulations, broken here and there by clumps of trees beside intersecting -watercourses, spread out before us for a distance which it took no less -than five and a half hours’ actual march to traverse. This plateau is -a superb pasture-land, but no animals now graze there, save a few wild -deer. What a country to lie fallow! - -We proceeded on our way, fording the Arataparu and the Weiwötö, both -large tributaries of the Arabupu. All these streams undoubtedly feed the -Kukenaam River, and thus form a part of the Orinoco basin. The ford of -the Weiwötö was just above a lovely flashing waterfall, and we camped on -its right bank. Now at last did Roraima and Kukenaam deign to take note -of us. First the head of the Töwashing pinnacle, which forms Roraima’s -south-east corner, emerged from out of a fog-bank; then a piece of grim, -grand shoulder, then cloud-drift once again; but gradually more and more -of the twin giants was exposed, never clear all at once, but hinted at -sufficiently for us to grasp their outlines. I felt smitten with awe and -fear. We seemed so minute and so presumptuous to venture unbidden into -the presence of these towering monsters in a land that knew us not. The -glory and the beauty was very great, as the evening sun fell on them, the -fleecy clouds now revealing, now concealing, the black precipices. Well -may the Indians feel that the place is holy ground! - -I must try to describe the scene more exactly. Weitipu lay on our right -almost due north of us, rising sheer up from the plain. This mountain -seems to be made of quartz, cliffs of which stood out where the savannah -slopes had been washed away. Its southern end is roughly circular at the -base, the sides being terraced and the small plateau at the top being -surmounted by a sharp peak, which would afford an uninterrupted view to -every point of the compass. All this part of the mountain is savannah -dotted with occasional tree-clumps, and it is seamed by the gulleys -of small streams tumbling from its terraces in sparkling waterfalls. -To the northward the mountain is forest-clad, and is shaped into the -cliff-sided, flat-topped rectangular block, so characteristic of this -country. From its north-west side stretches a sea of forest, in which two -crags jut out fantastically side by side, the more conspicuous of the two -being known as Muköripö. Between Weitipu and Roraima the land drops very -considerably and is densely forested. Then arises Roraima’s south-eastern -wall, which is said to be ten miles long. From our camp at Weiwötö we -saw it, of course, greatly foreshortened, and the south-western face, up -which we eventually climbed, we could not yet see at all; but Kukenaam’s -southern end projected far beyond the Töwashing pinnacle. At one moment -the clouds cleared away almost entirely, and we counted six long white -streaks of water falling vertically down Roraima’s cliff-face. It had -evidently rained heavily, for we did not see these cascades again after a -spell of fine weather. - -Our Weiwötö camp was very exposed and bleak. Joseph looked so shiveringly -cold that we spared him an outfit of clothes, which, alas! greatly -impaired the dignity and picturesqueness of his appearance. The Makusis, -with Mr. Menzies and Haywood, went off for the night to a little wooded -island amidstream for shelter. They had stretched one of our tarpaulins -for us over an old hut-frame on the open plain, and had made a most -inefficient wind-break with the other. As we tossed and shivered on -our narrow camp-beds through the chilly night, we could see the dim, -cloud-wrapped mountain forms looming against the moonlit sky. - -[Illustration: THE SOUTH-WEST FACE OF MOUNT RORAIMA, SHOWING THE -TÖWASHING PINNACLE. - -To face page 186.] - -For the first and only time on the journey Haywood failed to have his -fire alight before dawn. His excuse, as he arrived by daylight, was an -entirely adequate one. To reach the bush-covered island, where he and -the Indians had slept, it was necessary to wade knee-deep in water, and -he did not like to attempt the ford in the dark. So we got off somewhat -later than usual, and after fifteen minutes’ march forded the Arabupu. -This stream, running very fast and deep, at times nearly carried me off -my feet. The water rose well above my husband’s knees, and the squat -little Indian women were up to their waists. From now onwards until we -halted for breakfast we were walking over prairie land, mostly on the -upward trend, towards the nearest corner of Roraima’s south-eastern wall -where the Töwashing pinnacle separates itself from the mass, and we came -gradually round to face the south-western side. Flights of locusts rose -in all directions on our approach. We walked sharply to keep ourselves -warm. Roraima and Kukenaam were at first impenetrably hidden in fog; but, -as the day wore on, the sun came out and very gradually dispersed the -clouds. Nearer and nearer we came, the great cliffs, rendered peculiarly -mysterious by the flying clouds that partly enveloped them, for ever -changing their shapes, till I said to myself: “Either I am dreaming it -all, or else I have had a touch of sunstroke; but that scene cannot be -real.” - -We breakfasted in sun and wind in a hollow by a small brook, and then -set off again, proceeding to the edge of the tableland, which then falls -abruptly down in steep-sided terraces to the basin of the Kukenaam -River. We dropped down some one thousand feet into this valley in the -course of an hour, and then walked up the left bank of the Kukenaam -River over flat ground, intersected by streams and swamps, under a -broiling sun, in blinding glare—not a pleasant walk. A march of one and -a quarter hours through this country brought us to the Töwashing, a -stream which leaps from the Töwashing pinnacle of Mount Roraima to join -the Kukenaam, and, fording it, we filed into Kamaiwâwong village half an -hour later, amidst an ominous silence. My mind had been plagued with a -presentiment that some hitch would befall us here. Several travellers -have reached this spot and yet failed to conquer Roraima, one of the -last being Dr. Crampton, a professor from the United States, who became -convinced that the Arekunas meant to murder him, and simultaneously that -the ascent of Roraima “to satisfy a purely personal ambition” would be -“unjustifiable.”[2] The fact that Kamaiwâwong was entirely empty and -deserted was far from reassuring. Not so much as a dog was there to bark -at us. We sat down in the shade of one of the banaboos and sent Joseph -with a deputation up a small hill to the village of Tekwonno, about half -a mile off, across the Kukenaam River. This, too, looked ominously empty, -and soon the deputation returned saying, “No man.” Roraima and Kukenaam -stood for the first time entirely clear of cloud, gazing down upon us as -much as to say, “There is many a slip ’twixt the cup and the lip.” - -It was rather an uncomfortable position. We had about thirty very hungry -people with us. They had been reckless with the food-supplies; and, -when Mr. Menzies remonstrated, Joseph had declared: “Arekuna, plenty -cassava.” But at the “breakfast” hour this day more than half of our -followers had had nothing to eat. We resolved, therefore, to establish -ourselves at Kamaiwâwong as comfortably as possible for the night, and on -the morrow, if the Arekunas did not return, as we hoped they would do, to -send out a raiding party to find their provision-fields and to bring in -cassava, whilst we, with another party, would attempt to make our way up -the mountain. With field-glasses we could see quite clearly, running up -the cliff-face, the ledge by which all ascents of Mount Roraima have been -made since Sir Everard im Thurn first found the way in 1884, a line of -green across the red face of the rock. - -Roraima and Kukenaam stand on the same vast pediment of highland -savannah. Doubtless in remote ages they were one mountain.[3] Above -the savannah slopes is a girdle of forest, out of which the gigantic -cliff-walls start up vertically a thousand feet into the air, dominating -and dwarfing all beside. The whole scale is so huge that eyes -unaccustomed to it are easily deceived as to the distances involved. The -precipices seemed to be close at hand, but in reality they were not less -than four miles away from us in the direct line of vision to the nearest -point. The twin mountains are divided by a deep rift between their -cliffs, and from the summit of Mount Kukenaam on the west side of this -rift the Kukenaam River leaps in a mighty waterfall, the spray and mists -of which surge to and fro in the gorge, filling and concealing it, and -often making the cliffs of the two colossi appear to be one continuous -escarpment. - -Rather glumly we established ourselves in Kamaiwâwong. The village -takes its name from the Kamaiwa, a small stream which, after springing -vertically a thousand feet downwards from the point on Roraima where -the ledge athwart the cliff-face reaches the summit of that grim wall, -flows past Kamaiwâwong, between it and Tekwonno, to join the Kukenaam -River. The banaboos are built on a little plain, some 3,700 feet above -sea-level. We chose a circular one for our dwelling. Only its walls to -windward had been filled in, so that it was the reverse of stuffy. Mr. -Menzies, with Joseph, Haywood, and Thomas, occupied a house near by, -whilst the others spread themselves about in other buildings. Kamaiwâwong -was quite as large as Mataruka village, and had an imposing church. The -house of Jeremiah, its late chief, stood in the centre, the doorway -blocked up with earth-sods. He had recently died. - -We unpacked and settled down, and it was beginning to get dusk, when -Joseph called out “Arekuna yebu” (_i.e._, _coming_), and pointed to a -hill on the other side of the Kukenaam River, where his keen eyes had -detected moving figures. The word went round the camp, “Arekuna yebu.” -It was a very great relief! Just as night fell, three stalwart fellows -strode up in single file, all carrying guns, the first and last naked, -the centre one attired in a blue coat and trousers and brown wide-awake -hat. All had ear-rings and painted faces. They wore an absurdly jaunty -delighted-to-see-you air, held out their hands, ejaculated “How-do?” and -laughed cheerily. They then pointed to the mountain and said: “Roroyima -(such is the Arekuna pronunciation) piff-piff-piff-paff-whizz,” or -at least that is what it sounded like; and it clearly meant: “It is -a long way up there; do you want to go?” We signified that we did, -and, moreover, that we wanted cassava and _kapong_ (_i.e._, men). They -squatted down beside us, and said: “Yes, yes, to-morrow, Schoolmaster -yebu.” “Indeed?” we said; “but what side Schoolmaster and what side all -man?” They pointed across the hills, over which they had come, and said, -“Wrayanda-aniafpai banaboo”; so we sent off the blue-suited fellow with -a lamp to return to, and hasten, his people, the other couple remaining -with us. - -Kamaiwâwong had evidently been abandoned by the villagers, Indian -fashion, so that Jeremiah’s _manes_ might have peace; but we never -discovered for certain why Tekwonno also had been deserted. The Arekunas -afterwards said, “Wrayanda-aniafpai plenty cassava,” as though to imply -that they were all employed there preparing cassava; but this would -not account for every man, woman, child, dog, and fowl having cleared -out. It is more likely that they misdoubted our intentions, and removed -themselves and their belongings until they were reassured. Mr. Menzies -laid it to a “guilty conscience.” He said the Arekunas are often -brigands, raid Makusi fields, and carry off their women; and that, seeing -a large party approach, they preferred to seek safety in flight until -they were assured that vengeance was not about to overtake them. - -We went to bed much relieved, and hoping to make the ascent next day—a -fallacious hope as it proved; but really we were all the better for -having a day’s rest forced upon us, after six consecutive marches, during -which we had covered the distance of some ninety-three miles between Puwa -and Kamaiwâwong. The night was very cold. We piled our mackintoshes on -top of our blankets to keep in the warmth; but from 3 a.m. onwards it was -too cold to sleep, and we were up at dawn preparing for the climb. Only -our camp-beds, our two bedding-bags, and one small canister, were to be -carried with us, and we were ready to start before any more Arekunas had -come in. So we sat down to solace ourselves with “the virtuous Macaulay,” -hoping to make at all events a half day’s march. At about 11 a.m. a long -string of Arekunas arrived, beating a tom-tom, and much decorated with -paint and necklaces. One man had painted coat-buttons down his naked -chest! They brought with them cassava and bananas, a clucking hen, and -sat-on eggs, also nineteen magnificent pineapples, which they laid out in -rows on the floor of our banaboo. Those pineapples were quite the most -delicious I ever tasted. But to all inquiries as to making a start the -Arekunas merely replied, “Schoolmaster yebu,” so that we had to resign -ourselves to further delay. The newcomers brought a gourd of _paiwarri_ -with them, which they offered to our people. This is a highly alcoholic -beverage, and made the eyes of the drinkers shine unnaturally. We were -glad to see that there was not much of it. - -The day was brilliantly fine; not a cloud speck on either of the great -mountains, whose cliff-faces shone red above the green tree-belts. -We felt we were letting opportunity sadly slip by us, but there was -nothing to be done. The glare from the barren earth-terrace, on which -an Indian village always stands, was blinding, so we spent nearly all -day within the welcome shade of our banaboo. Arekunas—men, women, and -children—arrived in small parties at intervals all day long, and our -hungry Makusis were regaled with the much-desired cassava and cassiri. -Towards nightfall Schoolmaster came in, evidently the chief of the -tribe. Why he has this peculiar name I do not know. He is a big, stalwart -individual, all muscle and sinew, full of gaiety and laughter, as seems -to be the Arekuna habit, and we explained to him, pointing to the summit -of Roraima, that we wished to be there the next day. After nightfall -the moon shone brilliantly, so that we had an opportunity of seeing the -mountains in all lights. It was an unforgettable scene of mystery and -beauty. - - - - -RORAIMA, FATHER OF STREAMS - - - - -CHAPTER X - -RORAIMA, FATHER OF STREAMS - - It was the rampart of God’s house - That she was standing on; - By God built over the sheer depth, - The which is Space begun. - - D. G. ROSSETTI: _The Blessèd Damozel_. - - -Saturday, 15th January, 1916, was the day on which at last we climbed to -the summit of Mount Roraima. We were most fortunate in having a cool, -grey morning; and after sundry delays, at which Indians are adepts, -we started off from Kamaiwâwong at 7.38 a.m. Our party consisted of -Schoolmaster and twelve other Arekunas, some to act as baggage-carriers -and some to cut open a trail where the ascent was through forest. Mr. -Menzies and Haywood also accompanied us, but none of our Makusi droghers. -We had asked Joseph and Daniel whether they would like to come; but -they said “No,” possibly under pressure, for I don’t think the Arekunas -particularly wished the secret of their mountain to be disclosed to -Makusis. However, Joseph and Daniel subsequently changed their mind, -hurried after us, and overtook us just as we were reaching the cliff-top. - -Roraima stood in clear-cut outline before us, untouched by clouds. -There was heavy dew on the grass, and it was delightful walking up the -savannah slopes. The hill-track led us off to the right over ground which -was in places very stony but for the most part good going, if steep. -Schoolmaster pointed to the top of the mountain, and said, “To-morrow”; -but we firmly answered, “No, to-day,” whereupon all the Arekunas smiled -and shook their heads, and Schoolmaster shut his eyes, beat his breast, -and gasped, to show how exhausted we should soon be. I retorted by -running past him, laughing my contempt, and pointing up to the sky, while -I told him, “Paranakiri [_i.e._, _overseas_] mountain so!” He opened his -mouth, pointed down his throat, and said, “Brandina!” which I fear throws -a lurid light on the proceedings of former travellers. It was really -quite an amusing dumb-crambo argument; but our steady pace soon convinced -him that we meant business. The path wound unremittingly uphill over -long grass, with big boulders, doubtless once part of Roraima’s mighty -cliffs, lying on all sides, much as they do on Dartmoor tors, whilst the -depressions are boggy and filled with marsh-plants. The ever-widening -semicircle of panorama behind us was very beautiful and interesting. - -From Kamaiwâwong to the forest fringe was a hard three hours’ walk, with -no halt save an occasional pause for breath. At 10.24 a.m. we reached the -highest point of the savannah hills, 6,510 feet above sea-level. Then -we dropped down some fifty feet to the edge of the forest, and made our -first halt, from 10.35 a.m. to 12.17 p.m., in thick jungle by the side of -a delightful gurgling brook, which dashes down icy cold from Roraima’s -bleak heights. The ascent to this point can hardly be less than five -miles by the trail in all its windings. Schoolmaster introduced the spot -to us as “English pappa banaboo”; and we believe he meant to indicate -it as the site of Sir Everard im Thurn’s camp, when he was searching -for a path to the top of Roraima. As far as is known, Sir Everard was -the first human being to find a way up the precipice and to set foot on -Roraima’s summit. He did so on the 18th December, 1884, after spending -about a month in camp at the edge of the forest-belt, whilst his Indians -cut a trail to the toe of the ledge, whereby alone the cliff-face can be -surmounted; and our midday halt must have been near the place where he -persevered with such patience. We had a thorough rest and made a good -meal. Our limes having given out, we took a bottle of lime-juice with -us; and I made Schoolmaster drink a spoonful of it, lest the appearance -of a bottle should make him believe that his “brandina” prophecy was -being fulfilled. Close by, there were growing some delicious-looking -blackberries; but, just as we were about to eat some, the Arekunas cried -“No, no!” and made so much fuss that we desisted. - -Restarting, we addressed ourselves to the ascent through the forest-belt; -and this, to my mind, is really the only disagreeable part of the -whole climb. The ground here is a pell-mell of huge boulders, pieces -of disintegrated mountain that have broken away from the overhanging -cliffs above during long ages past; for Roraima and Kukenaam are but the -“fragments of an earlier world.” Over these rocks grows a dense mass of -small trees, and magnificent tree-ferns root upon the débris of earlier -decaying jungle, which is covered with a carpet of slimy green moss and -has a horrid corpse-like smell. The whole place is dank and cold, and -the thick matting of moss makes it impossible to know whether one is -stepping on a secure foothold, or on a rotten tree-branch, or on nothing -but a layer of moss and twigs concealing a chasm between two great rocks. -It was a thoroughly nasty scramble, and feet and hands had to be used -almost equally. Our rate of progress was necessarily slow, with many -short pauses, while the trail was being cut open ahead of us, and it was -2.15 p.m. before we reached the base of the cliff at the point where the -diagonal ascent by the jungle-covered rock-ledge begins. During these two -hours I must confess that I was very unhappy, and I reflected much on the -superior wisdom of all the other women in the world who had refrained -from placing themselves in this predicament. I expected to sprain knee -or ankle at every step, and the struggle was dreadfully exhausting—in -places more like tree-climbing than mountaineering. Schoolmaster with two -Arekunas kept ahead of us to chop open a track. - -At the base of the ledge we were 7,680 feet above sea-level; and here it -was that Mr. J. J. Quelch camped in 1894, when he and his party climbed -Roraima. It is awe-inspiring to stand at the very toe of that mighty -precipice, with its blue and red stains, and, looking vertically up, -to see the overhang of great masses of rock, ready, it would seem, one -day to topple over and grind to pieces the ledge and all that is on it. -But until the day of that impending catastrophe the climb up the ledge -will present no great difficulty, although there are some bad places in -it. I put my ear against the cliff, and could hear the drip of water -percolating inside. - -During the forest climb we had no view at all, but the vegetation on the -ledge, being stunted and less dense, permits not infrequent glimpses of -the glorious landscape below, spread out like a great green sea. Lovely -flowers abounded at our feet, and the cool air was like a tonic after -the damp oppression in the forest. We reached the first obstacle in the -ledge at 3.45 p.m., when it became necessary to use a rope to assist -the droghers in hoisting their loads up an almost vertical rock-face -some twenty feet high. An active man, unloaded, can, however, scramble -up without such assistance. A troublesome point about the ledge is that -it has three V-shaped dips, and its general nature can best be shown -diagrammatically thus: - -[Illustration] - -These three dips are very steep, and we had fairly to slide down them, -clinging on to every root, bush, or stone we could catch hold of, while -getting up again on the other side was, of course, an even more severe -struggle. - -At the third dip we met the only other considerable obstacle presented -by the ledge. We reached this point at 4.20 p.m., and found a diminutive -waterfall trickling down the face of the precipice and falling in a -shower of icy-cold spray upon the ledge, which the action of the water -has swept clean of all bush and scrub. A sharp V-shaped depression has -here been cut in the ledge, which ascends under the waterfall in rock -steps, covered with moss and very slippery. Care is necessary, but in dry -weather, such as prevailed at the time of our ascent, there is little or -no danger. After heavy rain, however, it might be impossible to pass -beneath the waterfall, although I doubt whether, except in the case of -continuous rainfall lasting many days, a traveller would be held up long -by this obstacle, as water appears to drain away very rapidly from the -reservoirs on the rocky summit of Mount Roraima. For example, from our -camp at Weiwötö, after a rain-storm had passed over Roraima, we counted -no less than six waterfalls on its south-eastern face; but next day, -after some hours of fine weather, none of these could be seen with the -naked eye. They may possibly have continued as small trickles, but were -quite inconspicuous, as, indeed, was the waterfall under which we now -passed, for it could not be seen from Kamaiwâwong. - -Save at this waterfall, the ledge is everywhere many feet wide, and there -is no danger whatsoever of falling off it. From the waterfall another -forty minutes’ direct ascent over rock-boulders brought us to the top of -the escarpment, 8,625 feet above sea-level. We reached this point at 5 -p.m. The whole climb had, therefore, taken us three hours over savannah, -two hours through forest, and two and three-quarter hours up the ledge. -For purposes of comparison, I may here say that the descent of the ledge -occupied one and three-quarter hours, the descent through forest one hour -and fifty minutes, and across the savannah two and a half hours. Roraima -was kindly disposed to us, for we had splendid weather for the climb—a -grey, cool morning, followed by a sunny, windless afternoon. - -The scene when one has at last scaled the cliff-face of Roraima is -fantastic and almost grotesque. Little meets the eye save rock, which the -weather has blackened and worn into many weird shapes—a dragon, a frog, -and a couple of umbrellas, all of rock, were conspicuous objects at the -spot where we camped for the night; but there is in general a monotonous -lack of differentiation in the rock-shapes, making this rugged plateau a -maze where one would soon be lost, especially if mist settled down on the -mountain. Here and there are stunted trees (_Bonnetia Roraimæ_): but all -wood on this bleak summit is so sodden with moisture that it is difficult -to kindle a respectable fire for cooking purposes, and quite impossible -to make such a blaze as would keep out the cold. Water is abundant, clear -as crystal, and icy cold. We found no really satisfactory camping-ground; -but Schoolmaster took us to the spot where, it would appear, all those -who before us had spent the night on the top of Roraima took shelter. It -was in the middle of a big amphitheatre of crags, encircled by what one -might almost call waves of stone, about five minutes’ walk from the edge -of the precipice. Here two large rocks converge at an angle which gives -protection from the prevailing winds; and by spreading a tarpaulin over -the gap between them we made ourselves a rock-sided tent, commodious -enough to contain our two camp-beds. Unfortunately, the floor was not dry -rock, but spongy, wet moss. - -[Illustration: CAMP ON MOUNT RORAIMA. - -To face page 208.] - -Haywood had ready-made Bovril in his kettle, and soon supplied us with a -hot drink, after which we made our arrangements for the night. Directly -the sun had disappeared, it felt desperately cold, and we longed in vain -for fires to warm ourselves. At 6.15 p.m. the thermometer was 51° F.—not -very low, of course, but when you are used to a tropical climate it feels -like freezing. A fire can only be maintained by an Indian squatting -beside it and tending it all the time. Even then it gives but little -warmth. Mr. Menzies arranged his tarpaulin in a place somewhat similar -to the one where we were camped; but when the wind rose in the night -he discovered to his cost that the entrance to his cave-dwelling was to -windward. He sheltered (if “shelter” is the word) Haywood, Joseph, and -Daniel with him. We gave our spare tarpaulin to the Arekunas, and as many -as could got behind it; but several preferred the lee-side of our rock, -where the poor things chattered, shivered, and blew up fires all night -long. The night was clear, and Roraima looked wonderful by moonlight, the -fantastic shapes around us being even stranger than by day. We slept a -little, not much; and I think that my husband and I were the only ones of -our party who slept at all. - -Next day was gloriously fine. We rose at dawn to find gusts of icy -wind and wisps of cloud blowing all over the place. Our naked Indians -looked numb with cold; and, as the few of them who could boast of a -shirt or trousers were not much better off, my husband and I reluctantly -decided that it would be impossible for us to spend another night on -the mountain-top. It would have been inhuman to expose all our company -in this shelterless place. Any party that may come hereafter, really to -examine Roraima’s summit, would have to organize matters so as to let -their Indians spend the night in the forest below, and occupy the days -in bringing up firewood for them. - -We had, however, a few hours to spare, and we spent them in exploring -the vicinity of our camp. From the edge of the cliff the panoramic view -to the south-west is vast and superb, the landscape resembling a map in -green plasticine with the rivers shown in blue. All the hills we had -toiled over looked the merest little crinkles; but the effect of that -glorious stretch of open country is wonderfully impressive; and as the -sun, gaining power, dispelled all mist, we revelled in the great sweep of -air and space in front of us. Our old friend Chakbang was the only hill -that looked more than an earth-wrinkle, save for some huge cliff-faced -mountains miles away in Venezuela, which must be as high, if not higher, -than Roraima. Roraima itself concealed Mount Weitipu from our sight, and -we could see hardly anything of the line by which we had approached. The -call of the mountain was clearly to go on, on to the Orinoco, but we -could not obey. We had reached the end of our tether, and from this point -the return journey began. - -To explore the summit of Roraima itself would be a difficult task, and -not without danger. It would be unsafe to go any distance without white -paint, or some other means of marking one’s way; for one would very soon -be lost in the labyrinth of extraordinary rock-forms, and, when mist or -cloud was on the mountain, it would be impossible to see more than a -very short distance ahead. We clambered up to a point from which there -was a good view of the summit of Kukenaam. It appeared to be the same -fantastic jumble of black weather-worn rock that surrounded us where we -stood, arranged in the same curious amphitheatres. Then we set off in an -endeavour to reach the edge of the cliff between Roraima and Kukenaam; -but it is slow going where every step is a climb either up or down. I -soon gave up and made my way leisurely back to camp, while my husband -pressed on. But he found a great chasm across his path and had to turn -back also. We next visited the mark erected by Mr. C. W. Anderson on his -boundary survey, and walked to the source of the Kamaiwa creek, which lay -in the trough of the rock-wave wherein our camp was situated. There is a -sort of fascination I cannot describe in these silent waterholes, where -the eternal moisture of the “Father of Streams” gathers on beds of white -sand and shining crystals. The stillness and the deadness of everything -was extraordinary, and yet somehow wonderfully refreshing. There was -not a trace of animal life. In an eastern land Roraima would have its -“patient, sleepless eremite,” seeking revelation in meditation amid its -great silent peace, “in height and cold, the splendour of the hills.” - -At 10.30 a.m. we “breakfasted”; at 11.7 a.m. we commenced the descent; -and we reached Kamaiwâwong without misadventure by 5.30 p.m. The -steepness of the descent made it almost as slow a business as scrambling -up had been. I did a good deal of it by sitting down and then lowering -myself with the help of my hands. Mercifully the forest trail was much -improved by the fact that all the droghers had climbed it after us, so -that the slippery moss had to a great extent been trodden away, and we -could see where to put our feet. How the Arekunas managed to negotiate -that climb with loads on their backs without breaking their legs is -beyond our comprehension. They were a good deal cut and scratched, it -is true; but their prehensile toes saved them from more serious injury. -Indians catch hold by their toes in truly monkey fashion; and, if a man -drops anything on the line of march, he picks it up with his toes and -puts it into his hand to avoid stooping. Our feet seemed stupid, clumsy -things by comparison. By the time I reached the savannah slopes I was so -very stiff that I could only move slowly. These lovely savannahs had all -been set on fire by our men, and were charred and grievous to see. - -At Kamaiwâwong we were received with great acclamation. The village had, -during our absence, been repeopled. Evidently everyone from far and near -had come to see us, and there was much excitement and, unfortunately, -a great desire to shake hands. The Arekunas would seem to have thought -that our arrival broke the evil spell which the death of Jeremiah had -cast upon the place. They pulled away the earth-sods that blocked the -doorway of their late chief’s banaboo, reoccupied both it and all the -other banaboos, and held evensong in the village church, singing the same -hymn and intoning the same prayers which we had heard at Mataruka. There -was much cassiri-drinking and general rejoicing; and as soon as it was -dark the men trooped out and set fire to the grass in a circle round the -village, to drive away all evil spirits, we supposed. They danced round -the fires they had lit like madmen, in order to “send kenaima far.” Next -day a feast was held in honour of the reopening of the village. Tekwonno, -we gathered, had never been really abandoned. Indeed, it is more than -likely that its inhabitants, having news of our approach, with a large -following of Makusis, considered it prudent to evacuate Tekwonno until, -by observing us from the neighbouring hills, they were satisfied of our -peaceful intentions. - -Roraima wore a cloud-cap during the evening, so we congratulated -ourselves on having decided to come down; and during the night we saw -the wonderful effect of a brilliant moon lighting up the gleaming clouds -that rested on the black precipices of the twin giants—our last view of -them from Kamaiwâwong, for next morning they were quite invisible. We had -an excellent night’s rest, which I think we well deserved; and, having -blocked in with a tarpaulin a good deal more of the sides of our banaboo, -we were quite warm by comparison with our experience of the previous -night. - - - - -THE RETURN JOURNEY - - - - -CHAPTER XI - -THE RETURN JOURNEY - - Alas, that the longest hill - Must end in a vale; but still, - Who climbs with toil, wheresoe’er, - Shall find wings waiting there. - - H. C. BEECHING. - - -Many farewells and the bringing up of piles of cassava for the support -of our caravan delayed our start from Kamaiwâwong on the return journey -to Mataruka. We had asked Schoolmaster to send two men with us to bring -back from Puwa the salt and the cloth which was to be the recompense -of those Arekunas who had assisted us; but instead of sending two men, -Schoolmaster himself and the entire party who had climbed Roraima with -us gaily accompanied our march back. It was a delightful morning, with -alternate showers and sunshine and gloriously cool winds. We retraced our -steps until we were close to the spot where we breakfasted on the 13th -January, and here we halted again for our midday meal at a delicious spot -under a big tree, sitting amidst fragrant bracken and pretending to be -in England. The walk had unstiffened our muscles, cramped by the long -descent of the day before, and we felt quite fit and fresh. - -Schoolmaster, who now acted as guide, applied for permission to lead us -back by a line different from that which we had traversed on the outward -journey. We agreed; and in the end Schoolmaster brought us to Mataruka by -a trail which interlaced with Joseph’s so as roughly to form the figure -8. Our first divergence was to the left in the direction of Weitipu; -and plainly any trail which avoided the long sweep to the west round by -the head-waters of the Chitu was likely to be a short-cut. Then, after -wheeling to the left, we descended somewhat abruptly to a little plateau -on which stands Maurekmutta banaboo, the home of a solitary Arekuna -family. Here Schoolmaster showed us another line running almost straight -towards Kamaiwâwong. It would probably have been preferable to the one we -had walked, and might have saved some climbing. Why they had not led us -that way we could not make out; but, of course, to an Indian time is of -no importance, unless he is hungry, and the tramp of half a dozen extra -miles is a mere trifle. No one was at home in this banaboo. - -We next descended yet farther, until, after one and a quarter hours’ -march beyond the point of divergence from Joseph’s trail, we reached -and forded the Arabupu (3,780 feet above sea-level). Here we were met -by quite a heavy shower of cold rain. Twenty minutes later we crossed -the Gunguila, a confluent of the Arabupu; and another ten minutes’ march -brought us to the brow of a hill, 4,060 feet above sea-level, where it -became evident that we were making straight for the southern spur of -Mount Weitipu across the folds and rifts of a plateau. We could, in -fact, see our trail running ahead past the very toe of Weitipu; but as, -on descending, the path followed a valley in the diametrically opposite -direction, we were reminded—and not for the first time either—that Indian -trails are like the paths in the garden of the talking flowers in _Alice -through the Looking-Glass_, and that to get anywhere you must turn and -walk in the opposite direction. We crossed two more small streams, and -then, after a further fifty-six minutes’ march, we halted for the night -on the right bank of the Erkoy River, in a little copse, evidently the -recognized Indian camping-ground, and much preferable to the bleak camp -at Weiwötö on Joseph’s trail. The Erkoy is another confluent of the -Arabupu, and from a little clump of trees on a level terrace where we -camped the ground dropped away abruptly to the river. A steep grass hill -on the left bank protected us nicely on the windward side, whilst the -lee-side was open to the savannah. In the watery rays of the evening sun -Roraima and Kukenaam stood clear for the first time that day. We could no -longer see the south-western wall up which we had climbed, but we had a -splendid view of the south-eastern escarpment. The clear, swift-running -Erkoy almost tempted us to bathe, but it was too cold to venture. We had -a fine night, though once or twice, as the rush of the wind shook the -tree-tops, we woke up sufficiently to rejoice that we were not on the -exposed tableland. The Makusis camped all round us, while the Arekunas -slung their hammocks in a clump of trees a little way downstream. - -Next morning (18th January) was gloriously fine, and we saw Roraima and -Kukenaam for the last time at close quarters, shining red in the dawn. -We forded the Erkoy, which flows swiftly and came icy cold well over -our knees; and then, ascending the steep bank on the other side, we -found ourselves once more on a rolling plateau with the trail we had -seen passing over the toe of Weitipu, now just ahead. I loved the walk -over the fresh grass of this shining tableland, amidst the indescribable -peace of its mighty silence. The trail was almost level, save for little -descents into the channels of the many streams that come racing down -Weitipu’s steep flanks; and in the keen, fresh morning air mere movement -was a joy—different indeed to one’s feelings on the low, hot coast-lands! -In succession we crossed the Kamaoura-wong, two small swamps, the -Tongkoy, and the Sappi, all streams which tumble in picturesque cascades -from Weitipu; and after an hour’s march we crossed the southern spur of -Weitipu himself. He is a very attractive mountain, majestic, but without -the bleak austerity of Roraima and Kukenaam. His southern summit would -afford a splendid camping-ground, and several of his terraces would -make beautiful house-sites. In China such a mountain would have been -studded with temples and monasteries, but I have never heard of anyone -climbing to the top of Weitipu. It would not be difficult to do this, -though rather strenuous, and I should love to go back one day and make -the ascent. On the spur of Weitipu, where we stood (4,100 feet above -sea-level), Schoolmaster showed us yet another trail—the most direct of -all—branching off to Kamaiwâwong! - -We then crossed two more streams—a small one called the Apa, and a -larger one called the Perumak. The latter is fringed by forest, and is -probably identical with the river Maipa, crossed by Joseph’s trail. A -glorious grassy savannah spreads out on both sides of this narrow strip -of woodland; and in it, just beyond the Perumak ford, an hour’s march -from the spur of Weitipu, stands a solitary banaboo, near which the trail -to Tumong, by which Dr. Crampton travelled in 1911, branches off to the -left. We kept to the right, and eighteen minutes later reached the crest -of a ridge, which appears to form the divide between the watershed of -the Orinoco and of the Amazon. At this point, therefore, we presumably -returned from Venezuela to Brazil. The divide here is 3,860 feet above -sea-level. - -We now descended into a charming valley, and, after forty minutes’ march, -halted for our midday meal beside the Muruïna, a pretty little tributary -of the Kotinga. Once more we recognized the jasper formation, and we -established ourselves on a tree-shaded ledge above a deep, clear pool. -This place is a recognized Arekuna camping-ground. The creek is forded -just above a waterfall, where its two branches meet. Within the fork is -a copse, and at the season of our visit there ran along the side of the -stream a dry rock-ledge which would form a roomy and level tent-floor. I -remember that, whilst we waited for Haywood’s preparations, we regaled -ourselves on the last of the delicious pineapples, carried with us from -Kamaiwâwong. It tasted most especially nice after our three hours’ walk. - -Another ascent and descent brought us, twenty minutes after restarting, -to the Tunâpun creek. We crossed it, and thirty-eight minutes later we -had climbed to the top of the hill-ridge (3,670 feet above sea-level), -overlooking the full width of the Kotinga valley right across to -“Landmark Peak.” This was the same hill-ridge that we had climbed, much -farther to the west, on the 12th January; but the fierce midday sun had -sucked up all colour from the landscape, and it no longer looked the -fairyland which it had seemed on that early morning. Now came an abrupt -descent, very warm work and lasting just an hour, to the point where -the Töpa creek is forded close by a solitary banaboo. Suddenly our -procession halted. The magic word _waikin_ was passed along, and we all -squatted down on the ground, while Schoolmaster and Joseph stalked two -big deer not far away. Schoolmaster crept to within point-blank range of -one animal and fired. Alas! his stock of powder and shot was practically -exhausted, so he had given his old fowling-piece a most insufficient -charge; and the deer, though hit, bounded away uphill with its companion. -Behold Joseph and Schoolmaster racing after them up the steep slope like -a pair of dogs! They rejoined us later very crestfallen; and Schoolmaster -gesticulated to me as graphic an account of the whole business as ever -disappointed sportsman poured into the ear of sympathizing lady. - -For the rest of the day’s march the trail lay over spacious undulating -pasture-lands, crossing three small streams, fringed by eta-palms; and, -after two and a quarter hours’ march from the Töpa crossing, we reached -and forded the Kotinga at the same point as on our outward journey, thus -completing one loop of the figure 8. We then made our way over rocks up -a little ravine on the left bank and camped in bush upon a small level -terrace at the edge of a brook. It was a nasty, stuffy place, full of -ants; but we cared little for that, as we were practically free from -the kabouru. My husband unfortunately caught his foot in some bush rope -lying on the rocks and fell heavily, breaking the little finger of his -left hand, which caused him great pain. The Kotinga valley, it seems, was -destined to be disagreeable to us. - -[Illustration: MOUNT WEITIPU FROM THE LEFT BANK OF THE KOTINGA RIVER. - -To face page 225.] - -When, next morning, we emerged from our ravine on to the brow of a bluff -above the Kotinga, we were delighted to see a most interesting and novel -aspect of Roraima, which was really rather astonishing, for there had -been no hint of such a view either the evening before or on our outward -journey. The morning was gloriously clear, and on the left, behind -Weitipu, the south-eastern face of Roraima projected clear and red, and -beyond that again Kukenaam’s southern end; whilst on the right of Weitipu -we saw plainly, not only the other end of Roraima’s south-eastern wall, -but also a small and foreshortened portion of the eastern escarpment. -This view enabled us in a small degree to grasp the enormous area of -Roraima. It is impossible to do so when opposite one great wall only; -for Roraima is an immense, irregular quadrilateral, of which the -south-eastern side, ten miles in length, is the longest, and the area of -the summit, flanked all round by precipices, cannot be less than fifty -square miles. - -From the Kotinga ford to the pass at “Landmark Peak” Schoolmaster’s trail -coincided with Joseph’s, but from “Landmark Peak” to the Rera valley we -traversed a new line of country. This time we swung off to the right, -and we hoped to be led along the ridge of the mountain amphitheatre -which encircles the Warukma and Karakanang plateau. But an Indian trail -is nothing if not surprising. For the first half-hour we did indeed -continue on the high tableland at the same altitude as the pass (3,150 -feet above sea-level), crossing two streams; but then we wheeled sharply -to the right, and, passing between two low knolls, left the tableland -by a narrow path skirting round the contours of a hill and affording a -view over a sea of jagged peaks tumbled together without apparent rhyme -or reason. It was a most astonishingly tangled-looking country, with -valleys running at angles to each other and hills flung about pell-mell -in the midst of them, as though the powers engaged in making this place -had got tired of their work and flung it all down anyhow and left it. -The colouring, too, was curious, vivid red, black, and green; for many -fires had evidently seared the countryside, the most recent leaving -black patches, which contrasted oddly with the bright green of new grass -springing up where the land had peace, and with the red soil on the -hillsides, whence heavy rain had washed away the black ash, but where as -yet forgiving Nature had not reasserted herself. For half an hour our -path clung to the hill-side, but it then gave that up as a bad job and -dropped abruptly into one of the narrow valleys beneath. The prospect was -certainly not an inviting one. We consoled ourselves, however, with the -reflection that the divergence to the right must have put us in a direct -line for Mount Mataruka. A short but heavy shower of rain now drenched -us to the skin; but it was welcome, as relieving an unwonted sultriness -of the atmosphere. Round the base of the hill we curved, climbed over a -knoll in the valley, and so, after three-quarters of an hour’s march, -we came to the left bank of a creek called the Walamwötö, presumably a -tributary of the Kotinga. Here we pitched camp in a small winding valley -(2,450 feet above sea-level) by the side of a charming pool. As we were -establishing ourselves under our tarpaulin, a storm of wind and rain -almost blew it away from its moorings, and six Makusis had to hold it up -on the weather side until the fierceness of the gusts abated. We caused -the ridge-pole to be lowered considerably so as to afford less target for -the wind, and I was somewhat anxious about the night. But after dark the -weather became beautifully still and clear, a full moon making diamonds -everywhere of the lingering rain-drops. This was the only rain-storm of -any moment which we encountered from the day we left the Kowatipu forest -until the day of our return to it. During the whole of the rest of our -savannah journey we enjoyed superb weather, sunny, breezy, cool, and -rainless, save for occasional Scotch mist upon the hill-tops. - -We rose very early next day (20th January), and broke our fast by -lamplight. But the sun soon rose clear and very hot, and I realized that -the strenuous exertions of the five preceding days without a rest were -beginning to tell on me. So the start did not find me very fresh. An -hour’s march in narrow winding ravines, followed by a short climb over -a long black-bouldered slope, brought us to James’s banaboo (2,720 feet -above sea-level), perched upon a hill-top. The inhabitants came out in -a string to greet us, and the second man in the line, as he shook my -hand (the ceremony none of them will forego), ejaculated questioningly -“Mamma?” and all his companions echoed the cry. It must be seldom, if -ever, that a white woman is seen by these people. The view from this -lonely banaboo was certainly enchanting; but, alas! no tableland such as -we had hoped to see lay unrolled before us, only a fresh tangle of hills -and valleys; and, though the country looked most interesting, it also -looked very arduous. Moreover, there ensued an argument between Joseph -and Schoolmaster as to the right road onwards, and we wondered whether -they really knew the way, or were merely proceeding by trial and error. -The long ridge of tableland, over the crest of which we had hoped to -travel when we turned aside from Joseph’s line at “Landmark Peak,” looked -most provoking away to the left. At length our guides reconciled their -difference, whatever it may have been, and led us three hundred feet -downwards over a broad hill-shoulder across a small stream. Then, after -a long, gradual ascent over another broad hill-shoulder, we came to the -top of a commanding hill, 2,960 feet above sea-level. Here indeed we were -comforted, for we saw again Mount Mataruka, and realized that we were -making for it by a much more direct line than if we had returned through -Enamung. Besides, a nice undulating ridge lay before us, and the view was -grand. We could see a magnificent expanse of country on all sides. Far, -far behind lay Weitipu, with Roraima and Kukenaam at his back, bidding -us a last good-bye. We saw them no more after this. I wonder if we ever -shall again! On the right we had an excellent view of our former line of -journey, the plateau of the Karakanang and the grassy peaks of Enamung, -as well as of a big waterfall shining white in the distance, whither our -outward journey had unfortunately not led us. Our guides said that it was -a fall on the Wairann; and at close quarters it must be a fine sight, for -even at a distance of about seven miles it was a striking feature in the -landscape. At this point we were one hour and six minutes’ march from -James’s banaboo. - -We continued for another forty minutes along the crest of the hill-ridge, -enjoying intensely the glorious scenery, and finally reaching a point -(2,810 feet above sea-level) whence, beyond a cleft in the hills, cut -athwart our line of march by the Karakanang River, we could see the long, -straight line of the Paiwa valley, down which lay our forward path. -Fifty minutes’ sharp descent, largely through forest, then brought us to -a ford of jasper slabs over the Karakanang (1,960 feet above sea-level). -Here we made our midday meal, and thereafter we ascended the valley of -a brook, which falls into the Karakanang at the ford; and, climbing -over some hillocks shut in between high hill-ranges on both sides, we -came, after an hour and a half, to the Paiwa River (2,210 feet above -sea-level), down which our trail then ran for three and a half hours’ -actual march. It was most fascinating scenery. The turquoise-blue Paiwa -in its rose-pink bed (for the blood-red jasper weathers on the surface to -pink) flowed clear as crystal through opal-green pools and in rippling -white cascades, whilst shade trees, dotted here and there, relieved the -glare of the brilliant light. Beneath one such tree, seated on pink sand -close to the edge of the stream, we enjoyed our usual tea halt. The sides -of the valley are seamed with confluent brooks, many of which had water -even at this height of the dry season. In wet weather the smiling stream -must be a very torrent. - -At first the Paiwa had all the appearance of making for the Ireng; but -at a point a little more than halfway in that part of its course which -we followed it turned abruptly off to the south and swept past Mount -Pakara to join the Kotinga. Towards sunset we crossed to its left bank, -where was a broad level stretch of sand, evidently a favourite Indian -camping-ground, but rather a disappointing one to me, as there was a rift -in the jasper formation just here, and the stream merely gurgled over -quite ordinary stones, while the sand was a commonplace white. Moreover, -the steep hill-side across the stream had been hideously burnt, and there -were evidences of recent Indian encampment and of fish-poisoning in the -river. Indians are an admirable people in many ways, but they scarcely -deserve their goodly heritage, since all that they do for their beautiful -country is to poison the fish in its exquisite streams and to disfigure -the fair hills by continual grass-burning. - -Next day we ate our porridge and drank our coffee before dawn, as the -moon sank behind the trees. Then, after following the river for a short -distance, we climbed up through a copse to where a banaboo was perched -on a bluff, the Paiwa below making a right-angled turn, so that those -who live here have an excellent vantage-ground whence they can watch -all wayfarers whether up or down stream. At the banaboo we found -Schoolmaster and his Arekunas, who had evidently spent the night there, -leaving the Makusis with us; and after a short colloquy Joseph led us -down into the Paiwa valley once more. The Arekunas remained behind, and -made for Mataruka by that line of their own which Joseph had graphically -described as “Mountain-top, mountain-top, mountain-top,” on the day of -our trek to Enamung. - -The Paiwa, which had grown to a considerable size, now reverted again to -a jasper bed, fringed this time with eta-palms, and looking prettier than -ever. We walked along its bank most of the way; but at times the valley -would close in to a gorge and the river run in cataracts, while we would -have to climb over rocky bluffs. At last we crossed the blue waters of -this pleasant river for the last time, and finally quitted the Paiwa -watershed. Our trail now wound away to the left, choosing most cleverly -a low divide, and then equally cleverly winding in and out on the level -round the spur of our old friend Kumâraying, until we found ourselves in -the Rera plain once more. It would have been a pretty path but for the -desolation and destruction wrought by fire. Some men ahead of us actually -started two fresh fires, which were fiercely burning as we passed. - -At the special request of our people we went to Joseph’s banaboo for our -midday meal. His wife provided us with abundance of delicious fresh eggs, -and I confess, without any desire to teach my grandmother, that at times -the best way of eating eggs is to suck them. A few minutes’ walk brought -us back to the trail by which we had travelled on our outward journey, so -completing the second loop in the figure 8. We now followed our former -line of march the rest of the way back to Mataruka village, where we were -warmly received by Albert and the inhabitants. The Arekunas we passed at -a brook a few minutes from the village, busily engaged in washing and -painting their faces afresh. They then made a state entry behind us, -beating a tom-tom. - -The rest of our travels needs no description, for the line of our -homeward march was identical with that of our outward journey. The -distance between Mataruka and Kamaiwâwong by Joseph’s trail was a march -of thirty-two hours forty-seven minutes; and the return journey between -the same villages by Schoolmaster’s trail was a march of thirty-two hours -fifty-one minutes, of which eleven hours twenty-eight minutes were -occupied in retraversing those parts of the route where the two trails -were identical—namely, the Kukenaam valley, the ascent from the Kotinga -ford to “Landmark Peak,” and the line from Rera to Mataruka. There is, -therefore, little to choose between the two routes. Both mean five stages -of rather more than six hours’ march a day. Schoolmaster’s line was -slightly more direct, but Joseph’s was appreciably less arduous. - -We reached Georgetown, after forty-six days’ absence, on the 3rd -February, 1916, resting on the way back for one day at Mataruka, one -day on the Karto tableland, and one day at Kaietuk. There was a new -and lovely note of colour on the Potaro; for the river was lit up by -a beautiful pink blossom (_Syphonia globifera_) all along the banks, -very much like peach-blossom in appearance and in its manner of growing -on a leafless tree. Also there was much more water going over Kaietuk -than when we passed upstream; and magnificent was the amber swirl that -descended, to change into gleaming spray flashing like diamonds, as it -fell into the black depths. Grey-green cascades dashed down the crags on -all sides, flashing out of the mists that lay heavy on the summits, to -mingle with the blossom-strewn river—a country for Undine indeed! - -So our brief journey in the mountains ended, alas! below sea-level; nor -did we “find wings waiting there,” for the aeronautical service of the -British Guiana Government is as yet only an aspiration. - -[Illustration: Route from HOLMIA IN BRITISH GUIANA TO MT. RORAIMA] - -[Illustration: SECTION OF COUNTRY TRAVERSED BETWEEN KAIETTUK FALL, ON THE -POTARO RIVER, AND MT RORAIMA - -Horizontal Scale 1/2,000,000. Vertical Scale exaggerated 50 times.] - - - - -FOOTNOTES - - -[1] _Kaieteur_ is a mistake for _Kaietuk_. See p. 75. - -[2] _Vide_ his article in _Timehri_, vol. ii., 3rd series (1912), p. 18. - -[3] Cf. _Timehri_, vol. iv. (1885), “The First Ascent of Roraima,” p. 23, -where Sir E. im Thurn, writing of Roraima and Kukenaam, says: “Rarely did -we see the scene quite clear, a fact which, as the Indians were never -tired of explaining to us, was owing to the habit of the mountain—_they -regard both mountains as one_—of veiling itself whenever approached by -white men.” - - -PRINTED IN GREAT BRITAIN BY BILLING AND SONS, LIMITED, GUILDFORD AND ESHER - - - - - -End of the Project Gutenberg EBook of Through British Guiana to the summit -of Roraima, by Mrs. Cecil Clementi - -*** END OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK THROUGH BRITISH GUIANA TO RORAIMA *** - -***** This file should be named 62513-0.txt or 62513-0.zip ***** -This and all associated files of various formats will be found in: - http://www.gutenberg.org/6/2/5/1/62513/ - -Produced by MFR and the Online Distributed Proofreading -Team at https://www.pgdp.net (This file was produced from -images generously made available by The Internet Archive) - -Updated editions will replace the previous one--the old editions will -be renamed. - -Creating the works from print editions not protected by U.S. copyright -law means that no one owns a United States copyright in these works, -so the Foundation (and you!) can copy and distribute it in the United -States without permission and without paying copyright -royalties. 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You may copy it, give it away or re-use it under the terms of -the Project Gutenberg License included with this eBook or online at -www.gutenberg.org. If you are not located in the United States, you'll have -to check the laws of the country where you are located before using this ebook. - -Title: Through British Guiana to the summit of Roraima - -Author: Mrs. Cecil Clementi - -Release Date: June 28, 2020 [EBook #62513] - -Language: English - -Character set encoding: UTF-8 - -*** START OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK THROUGH BRITISH GUIANA TO RORAIMA *** - - - - -Produced by MFR and the Online Distributed Proofreading -Team at https://www.pgdp.net (This file was produced from -images generously made available by The Internet Archive) - - - - - - -</pre> - - -<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_1" id="Page_1">[1]</a></span></p> - -<p class="center larger">THROUGH BRITISH GUIANA<br /> -TO THE SUMMIT OF RORAIMA</p> - -<hr /> - -<div class="figcenter" style="width: 550px;"> -<img id="illus1" src="images/illus1.jpg" width="550" height="700" alt="" /> -<p class="caption"><span class="smcap">Kaietuk Fall.</span></p> -<p class="caption-r">Frontispiece.</p> -</div> - -<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_2" id="Page_2">[2]</a></span></p> - -<hr /> - -<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_3" id="Page_3">[3]</a></span></p> - -<p class="titlepage larger">THROUGH BRITISH<br /> -GUIANA TO THE<br /> -SUMMIT OF RORAIMA</p> - -<p class="titlepage"><span class="smaller">BY</span><br /> -MRS. CECIL CLEMENTI, M.B.E.</p> - -<p class="titlepage smaller">WITH FOURTEEN ILLUSTRATIONS AND A MAP</p> - -<p class="titlepage">E. P. DUTTON AND COMPANY<br /> -681 FIFTH AVENUE, NEW YORK</p> - -<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_4" id="Page_4">[4]</a></span></p> - -<p class="titlepage smaller"><i>Printed in Great Britain</i></p> - -<p class="center smaller"><i>All rights reserved</i></p> - -<hr /> - -<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_5" id="Page_5">[5]</a></span></p> - -<h2>CONTENTS</h2> - -<table summary="Contents"> - <tr> - <td class="tdr smaller">CHAPTER</td> - <td></td> - <td class="tdpg smaller">PAGE</td> - </tr> - <tr> - <td class="tdr">I.</td> - <td><span class="smcap">The Demerara River</span></td> - <td class="tdpg"><a href="#CHAPTER_I">11</a></td> - </tr> - <tr> - <td class="tdr">II.</td> - <td><span class="smcap">The Essequebo River</span></td> - <td class="tdpg"><a href="#CHAPTER_II">29</a></td> - </tr> - <tr> - <td class="tdr">III.</td> - <td><span class="smcap">The Potaro District</span></td> - <td class="tdpg"><a href="#CHAPTER_III">47</a></td> - </tr> - <tr> - <td class="tdr">IV.</td> - <td><span class="smcap">The Potaro Gorge</span></td> - <td class="tdpg"><a href="#CHAPTER_IV">59</a></td> - </tr> - <tr> - <td class="tdr">V.</td> - <td><span class="smcap">Kaietuk, Mother of Mists</span></td> - <td class="tdpg"><a href="#CHAPTER_V">71</a></td> - </tr> - <tr> - <td class="tdr">VI.</td> - <td><span class="smcap">The Ascent to the Highland Savannahs</span></td> - <td class="tdpg"><a href="#CHAPTER_VI">89</a></td> - </tr> - <tr> - <td class="tdr">VII.</td> - <td><span class="smcap">The Highland Savannahs of British Guiana</span></td> - <td class="tdpg"><a href="#CHAPTER_VII">119</a></td> - </tr> - <tr> - <td class="tdr">VIII.</td> - <td><span class="smcap">A Corner of Brazil</span></td> - <td class="tdpg"><a href="#CHAPTER_VIII">149</a></td> - </tr> - <tr> - <td class="tdr">IX.</td> - <td><span class="smcap">The Venezuelan Approach to Roraima</span></td> - <td class="tdpg"><a href="#CHAPTER_IX">183</a></td> - </tr> - <tr> - <td class="tdr">X.</td> - <td><span class="smcap">Roraima, Father of Streams</span></td> - <td class="tdpg"><a href="#CHAPTER_X">199</a></td> - </tr> - <tr> - <td class="tdr">XI.</td> - <td><span class="smcap">The Return Journey</span></td> - <td class="tdpg"><a href="#CHAPTER_XI">217</a></td> - </tr> -</table> - -<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_6" id="Page_6">[6]</a></span></p> - -<hr /> - -<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_7" id="Page_7">[7]</a></span></p> - -<h2>LIST OF ILLUSTRATIONS</h2> - -<table summary="List of illustrations"> - <tr> - <td><span class="smcap">Kaietuk Fall</span></td> - <td class="tdpg"><a href="#illus1"><i>Frontispiece</i></a></td> - </tr> - <tr> - <td></td> - <td class="tdpg smaller">FACING PAGE</td> - </tr> - <tr> - <td><span class="smcap">The Demerara River: View from Three - Friends’ Mine across to Akyma</span></td> - <td class="tdpg"><a href="#illus2">24</a></td> - </tr> - <tr> - <td><span class="smcap">Watersmeet of Commingled Cuyuni and - Mazaruni Rivers with Essequebo</span></td> - <td class="tdpg"><a href="#illus3">31</a></td> - </tr> - <tr> - <td><span class="smcap">Mount Sakwai on Potaro River near Tukeit</span></td> - <td class="tdpg"><a href="#illus4">62</a></td> - </tr> - <tr> - <td><span class="smcap">Watersmeet of Potaro and Amuk Rivers - at Amatuk, showing Mount Kenaima on Right and Mount Kukui - in Centre above River-Mist</span></td> - <td class="tdpg"><a href="#illus5">62</a></td> - </tr> - <tr> - <td><span class="smcap">Potaro Gorge from Kaietuk</span></td> - <td class="tdpg"><a href="#illus6">78</a></td> - </tr> - <tr> - <td><span class="smcap">Baramaku Savannah</span></td> - <td class="tdpg"><a href="#illus7">113</a></td> - </tr> - <tr> - <td><span class="smcap">Mount Kowatipu from the Karto Tableland</span></td> - <td class="tdpg"><a href="#illus8">128</a></td> - </tr> - <tr> - <td><span class="smcap">Waratuk Rapids</span></td> - <td class="tdpg"><a href="#illus9">172</a></td> - </tr> - <tr> - <td><span class="smcap">Opamapö Waterfall</span></td> - <td class="tdpg"><a href="#illus10">172</a></td> - </tr> - <tr> - <td><span class="smcap">Fording the Kotinga River</span></td> - <td class="tdpg"><a href="#illus11">174</a></td> - </tr> - <tr> - <td><span class="smcap">The South-West Face of Mount Roraima, - showing the Töwashing Pinnacle</span></td> - <td class="tdpg"><a href="#illus12">186</a></td> - </tr> - <tr> - <td><span class="smcap">Camp on Mount Roraima</span></td> - <td class="tdpg"><a href="#illus13">208</a></td> - </tr> - <tr> - <td><span class="smcap">Mount Weitipu from the Left Bank of - the Kotinga River</span></td> - <td class="tdpg"><a href="#illus14">225</a></td> - </tr> - <tr> - <td><span class="smcap">Map of Route from Holmia to Mount Roraima</span></td> - <td class="tdpg"><a href="#illus15"><i>at end</i></a></td> - </tr> -</table> - -<hr /> - -<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_8" id="Page_8">[8]</a></span></p> - -<h1>THROUGH BRITISH GUIANA TO THE SUMMIT OF RORAIMA</h1> - -<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_9" id="Page_9">[9]</a></span></p> - -<hr /> - -<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_10" id="Page_10">[10]</a></span></p> - -<h2 id="CHAPTER_I">THE DEMERARA RIVER</h2> - -<hr /> - -<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_11" id="Page_11">[11]</a></span></p> - -<h3>CHAPTER I<br /> -<span class="smaller">THE DEMERARA RIVER</span></h3> - -<div class="blockquote"> - -<p>Men travel far to see a city, but few seem curious about -a river. Every river has, nevertheless, its individuality, its -great silent interest. Every river has, moreover, its influence -over the people who pass their lives within sight of its -waters.—<span class="smcap">H. S. Merriman</span>: <i>The Sowers</i>, chap. ii.</p> - -</div> - -<p>British Guiana, as first seen from the shoal-water -near the Demerara lightship, is a mournful -and monotonous picture. Mud flats, fringed -with courida and mangrove, stretch endlessly -along the shore. Never a hill is to be seen. The -coastal flats are four feet below the level of high -spring tides, and the Atlantic slops over the sea -dams in yellow waves of muddy water. The -wide expanses of rich sugar-fields and smiling -rice lands begin about a mile from the seaside and -stretch “aback” to the “wet savannahs,” by -means of which they are irrigated. These wet -savannahs are vast natural swamps converted artificially -into shallow lakes by “stopping off”<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_12" id="Page_12">[12]</a></span> -their seaward outlets. South of them spreads -“the bush,” that great primeval forest so hostile -to man, but sheltering in its mysterious recesses -a million varieties of insects, a multitude of -beasts and reptiles, and a wealth of bird life unequalled, -perhaps, in any other part of the world.</p> - -<p>Little, however, does the average colonist or -the chance visitor to British Guiana see of the -wonder and beauty of South America. The -forest builds an impenetrable barrier, keeping -him a close prisoner upon seaside mud flats, which -are in the main a dreary waste of uncultivated -land. Lack of labour renders it impossible for more -than a small fraction even of the coastal fringe -to be made to yield its increase. A land the size -of England, Scotland, and Wales combined; a -population equal to that of Hertfordshire, and a -cultivated area less than one-fifth the size of Kent; -a land for the greater part unknown and unsurveyed, -whose only roads extend along the seaboard -and for a few miles up the banks of its -main rivers—such is British Guiana, ever since -the close of the Napoleonic Wars a possession -of the British Crown, the only one in South -America, and rich in unexplored possibilities.</p> - -<p>But the colonists of British Guiana have never<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_13" id="Page_13">[13]</a></span> -made any serious attempt to investigate the -interior of their heritage. Their revenue has -always been spent upon coastal development; -and a conviction exists that the interior is not -only a death-trap, but also a wilderness of useless -jungle and sandy deserts. Many attempts were -made to dissuade me from venturing into it with -my husband, and I was assured that I was risking -my health—nay, my life. But the call of -the wild was too strong, and I shall always be -glad that I decided to go; for the fact that a -woman has traversed these forests and the highland -prairies beyond during many strenuous weeks -and came back with health and vigour renewed -may perhaps dispel the legends accumulated -about the horrors of “the bush,” and induce -people to investigate for themselves the charms -and opportunities of this neglected land, or at -least to travel with us in spirit into those great -expanses of sleeping Nature which await the day -of man’s occupation. British Guiana lies, like -the princess of the fairy-tale, in an enchanted -sleep. One day, surely, the fairy prince will -come, mounted upon an iron horse, and bid her -awake!</p> - -<p>Two long years my husband and I lived continuously<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_14" id="Page_14">[14]</a></span> -in Georgetown, at the mouth of the -Demerara River. Then, exhausted in mind and -body by the enervating atmosphere and dismal -monotony of a tropical coast, near the equator -and below sea-level, we decided to spend a brief -holiday in exploring a part of the Colony’s -interior hitherto blank upon the map, hoping to -find there some of that strength which cometh -from the hills. A journey up cataract-barred -rivers and through primeval forests by Indian -trails was in itself an attractive prospect; but we -had a still more potent lure. On the 21st March, -1914, my husband had spent a day at the Kaietuk -Fall, and had gazed from the brink of the great -chasm into which the Potaro River there plunges, -up its dreamy reaches towards the forest-clad -ridges that stand above the Arnik creek and away -to the towering, cliff-faced mass of Mount -Kowatipu. It was then that he resolved to visit -some day the wonders which Nature might hold -in the forests and savannahs farther to the west -and the south-west, and perhaps even to make his -way to that famous Mount Roraima, of which -the residents in British Guiana hear so much and -see so little. Then, in October, 1915, he made -the acquaintance of Mr. J. C. Menzies, whose<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_15" id="Page_15">[15]</a></span> -occupation as a diamond and gold prospector had -carried him into distant parts of our Colony’s -interior. Mr. Menzies’ account of prairie tablelands -at high altitudes, to be reached by travelling -a few days beyond Kaietuk, and affording a -view of Mount Roraima, where the boundaries of -British Guiana, Brazil, and Venezuela meet, and -whence streams flow to the Amazon, Orinoco, -and Essequebo, determined us to attempt the -journey across those tablelands to that mountain -of mystery. During the previous seven years -Mr. Menzies had frequently traversed the little-known -and unsurveyed part of the Colony that -lies between the Potaro River and our frontier -with Brazil, and he had been greatly struck by -the opportunities for cattle-ranching afforded on -its highland savannahs. He had, moreover, -bought and driven cattle from Brazil over the -Ireng River into British territory, where they -wander freely under the nominal guardianship of -a tribe of Makusi Indians. He was therefore -well qualified to make the preliminary arrangements -for the expedition which we had in mind, -and he very kindly agreed to place his experience -unreservedly at our disposal and to accompany -us. His knowledge of our proposed route did<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_16" id="Page_16">[16]</a></span> -not extend beyond the Colony’s boundaries; but -he felt sure that an Indian guide could be found -in one of the villages near the Ireng, who would -be able to lead us on to the goal of our hopes, -Mount Roraima.</p> - -<p>We started on the 20th December, 1915, our -first stage being by steamer from Georgetown to -Wismar, a small settlement sixty miles up the -Demerara River. The journey takes eight -hours, and the scenery is not interesting. For -the most part the land on both sides is absolutely -flat and screened from the traveller by a dense -fringe of jungle growth. Not that the river-banks -are entirely unoccupied; tenements and -farms are dotted along each bank for miles after -the tall chimneys of the sugar factories are left -behind. Indeed, between Georgetown and -Wismar there remains hardly an acre of Crown -land by the river-side, and the titles of some -estates date back to the year 1746, when the -Dutch still ruled in Demerara. But a former -Governor of the Colony decreed that a belt, -several yards wide, should be reserved along the -façade of all riverine grants, so that his successors -might be free, if so disposed, to make roads -or build wharfs on the river-bank. This untenanted<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_17" id="Page_17">[17]</a></span> -strip of land was, of course, rapidly -overgrown with jungle, and the dense <i>mokka-mokka</i> -which grows at the water’s edge makes a -forbidding-looking fringe to the Demerara’s -yellow tide. This plant, a member of the arum -family, is said to offer an excellent paper-making -material. It grows sometimes just above the -surface of the water, and sometimes reaches a -height of thirty feet or so, forming a happy sanctuary -for birds of many kinds. Their nests -among the broad leaves, that clothe the thick -stems rising straight out of the water, are -secure from snakes and such-like enemies. Once -I saw a tiny humming-bird, a veritable jewel of -colour, seated on her minute nest, regarding us -trustfully as we paddled by. This was not, -indeed, on the banks of the Demerara, but during -an expedition to one of the wet-savannah conservancies -already mentioned. She sat on her -airy throne, perched in the fork of a low <i>mokka-mokka</i> -stem, a few feet above the wind-swayed -rushes and broad lily leaves which cover the wide -expanses on each side of the water-paths, kept -clear for boats. As we sat in our low corial, her -background was blue sky, and a prettier sight -can scarcely be imagined.</p> - -<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_18" id="Page_18">[18]</a></span></p> - -<p>The Demerara River has several large creeks, -navigable by corials or even motor-boats for many -miles, but their mouths, screened by <i>mokka-mokka</i> -plant, are mostly impossible to distinguish -from the deck of a river steamer. The only one -of these streams I have explored is the Kamuni -creek, which my husband and I once visited in -order to see the now almost deserted Chinese -settlement of Hopetown. Strange that such -lonely jungle should ever have had attractions for -Chinese settlers! Everywhere broods the heavy -silence of the tropical “bush,” broken now and -then by the whir of a beetle or the cry of a bird -swooping across the creek; nor does this forest -afford any variations of colour save in the intense -green of the overarching foliage, reflected leaf for -leaf in the still, black water. Now and then some -glorious orchid decorates a decaying tree-trunk, -or the blossoms of some brilliant flowering creeper, -fallen from the distant tree-tops, float down the -stream. Here and there a splendid blue butterfly -flits into the sunshine, and an occasional splash -betrays an alligator subsiding into a dark pool.</p> - -<p>The Hopetown Settlement, which was once a -flourishing village engaged chiefly in charcoal-burning, -now consists only of a few hovels,<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_19" id="Page_19">[19]</a></span> -thatched with troolie palm, and of some ill-kept -rice-fields, the one redeeming feature being a -nice wooden church. When we went in, there -were flowers on the altar, and a pair of Cantonese -vases, which must wonder how they got there. -An aged Chinese catechist conducted the service, -and a priest visits the place at rare intervals.</p> - -<p>The people, I remember, welcomed us gladly, -and were delighted to hear a few words in Cantonese -spoken by my husband. The whole village -accompanied us as we walked along the dam, -which serves it both as a main road and as a safeguard -against inundation. We visited the “cultivation,” -but there was nothing satisfactory to -be seen. A few miserable plantains, a few poor -cacao-bushes, untended and uncared for, was all -we could observe. A paddy-field, to which we -were led, was merely a rough clearing in the -bush, the trees having been cut down, but the -stumps left standing, and no attempt was made -to irrigate or drain. There had been no manuring, -nor, indeed, was there any sign of tillage. -The sight was a sad one to eyes accustomed to -the smiling, carefully tended rice-fields of China, -with their neatly dammed divisions for conserving -water, fields from which the laborious Cantonese,<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_20" id="Page_20">[20]</a></span> -by unceasing toil, reap their annual reward of -two rice harvests and one crop of “dry cultivation.” -The Hopetown settlers told us that they -could only raise a rice crop from a given area -once in five years; but with care the land could, -of course, be made productive. The settlement -possessed no animals; not even the pig, so universal -in China, was to be seen. In fact, the people -evidently lacked energy to make an effort to improve -their condition. Most young Chinese, -desirous of better things, have doubtless discovered -that by going to Georgetown they can -with thrift, industry, and the business instincts -of their race, find more promising openings for -making a livelihood, in trade or otherwise, than -Hopetown offers. Hence only the aged, the -feeble, or the indolent, remain in the settlement; -and Hopetown no longer answers to its name, -for little hope of its future is now left.</p> - -<p>The Chinese, however, came late in the story -of the Demerara. Only Caribs lived there in -1598, when the river was first made known to -Europe by the report of two Dutch ships that -had cruised along the coast of Guiana, but had -not traded in the “Demirara,” because they -were pressed for time, and because the Caribs<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_21" id="Page_21">[21]</a></span> -informed them that “not much was to be found -there,” and also, perhaps, chiefly “because their -provisions were growing scant.” In those days, -maybe, there was a numerous Carib population -hereabouts; but the inhabitants are now a curious -medley, almost amphibious, for once the sugar -estates are passed the river is their only road, and -the smallest child navigates his corial. The -census of 1911 records that only 8,101 people -were in that year inhabiting the Demerara. Of -these, 2,983 were blacks; 1,756 were East -Indians; 1,741 were of mixed race; 124 were -Chinese; 178 were Portuguese; and 48 were -Europeans other than Portuguese. Only 1,229—say -15 per cent. of the whole—were aborigines. -There is the history of British Guiana in a nutshell! -A ceaseless struggle to people from overseas -an empty land! The Portuguese came -from Madeira. The blacks are descended from -negro slaves brought here from Africa by the -Dutch West India Company. No black slaves -were ever brought to Demerara under British -rule; for the slave trade was abolished by Parliament -in 1807, and this Colony did not become -definitely British until seven years later. The -East Indians have all been introduced as indentured<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_22" id="Page_22">[22]</a></span> -labourers under a system of immigration -which began in 1845 and ended in 1917. They -hail chiefly from Bengal and Madras. The -Chinese also came here under indenture, as the -result of a scheme of immigration, from Hong-Kong, -Canton, and Amoy, which lasted from -1853 intermittently until 1874, and was then discontinued.</p> - -<p>On the whole, the Lower Demerara is distinctly -monotonous and void of interest, but -shortly below Wismar there are hints of better -things. The river, which at Georgetown is a -mile wide, narrows considerably; the banks rise -on either side, crowned by big forest-trees, telling -of their mighty brethren in the far interior, -and greenheart logs lie steeping in the river, waiting -to be shipped. They cannot be drifted -downstream in the usual fashion, as greenheart -is heavier than water and does not float.</p> - -<p>Moreover, the river-water, previously an -opaque yellow from the influx of the tides that -wash seas of mud along the British Guiana coasts, -now changes to the beautiful black “bush-water,” -which, coming from the forest depths, -is darkly stained by vegetable matter held in suspension. -Sometimes it has a reddish tinge, and<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_23" id="Page_23">[23]</a></span> -then again turns amber-coloured, especially over -sandy shallows. It makes a wonderful mirror -for sky, cloud, and tree, reflected in its sleeping -depths; and it is quite safe and pleasant to drink, -when boiled.</p> - -<p>The township of Wismar on the Demerara -River is the terminal point of the small piece of -railway built in 1896 by Sprostons Limited to -cross the divide, here less than nineteen miles -wide, between the Demerara and Essequebo -Rivers. Close to the railway-station, alongside -which is a steamer wharf, cluster the police-station, -post office, magistracy, and a few shops. -The train is a little toy affair, very dirty; the -engine burns wood fuel, and the sparks which fly -from its funnel give as fine a display of fireworks -after nightfall as one could wish to see. They are, -however, somewhat dangerous. A case in point -was the occasion when Princess Marie-Louise -travelled over the line in 1914. The train had -been specially decorated in her honour; but it had -not proceeded more than half a mile from Wismar -before the sparks set all the decorations on -fire, and a halt was necessary in order to divest -the passenger-coaches of all combustible embellishments.</p> - -<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_24" id="Page_24">[24]</a></span></p> - -<p>Crossing the divide by motor-trolley is quite -an agreeable experience, especially in the cool of -the evening, and the line is seen to better advantage. -The scenery, however, is disappointing. -On the Essequebo side of the water-parting, -Sprostons have considerable timber-cutting -grants, to which they run branch lines. But -near the main line all big trees have long ago -been cut down, and some years ago a terrible -forest fire swept down the divide, leaving behind -it a desolation of stark and charred tree-trunks, -unlovely to look at. The soil is a white sand, -dazzling in the equatorial sunlight.</p> - -<p>Just above Wismar the Demerara Bauxite -Company has begun mining operations, and it is -very interesting to visit the Company’s settlements -at Fair’s Rust and Akyma. Fair’s Rust -is a mile above Wismar and can be reached by -ocean-going steamers, but the principal bauxite -mines, or rather quarries, are twelve miles farther -up, where the low hills consist of almost solid -pink-coloured ore, once the overburden has been -removed. The Company pays great attention -to the health of its employés: good houses are -built; bush is cleared away, and drainage and -sanitation carefully contrived.</p> - -<div class="figcenter" style="width: 700px;"> -<img id="illus2" src="images/illus2.jpg" width="700" height="400" alt="" /> -<p class="caption"><span class="smcap">The Demerara River: View from Three Friends’ Mine across to Akyma.</span></p> -<p class="caption-r"><a href="#Page_24">To face page 24.</a></p> -</div> - -<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_25" id="Page_25">[25]</a></span></p> - -<p>A very pleasant way of accomplishing the -journey to Wismar is to travel as a guest of the -Company in one of its comfortable motor-boats, -starting from Georgetown at about tea-time and -following the silvery pathway of the river, aglow -in the setting sun; to anchor in the starlight and -sleep in the grateful coolness and velvet silence -of the river night; to get under way again in the -dawn, and to reach the settlement at Akyma -before the full heat of the day. Especially is this -delightful when such a journey is but the first -stage on towards all the glories of mountain and -river which lie awaiting those who venture to -explore the wonders of an unknown land.</p> - -<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_26" id="Page_26">[26]</a></span></p> - -<hr /> - -<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_27" id="Page_27">[27]</a></span></p> - -<h2 id="CHAPTER_II">THE ESSEQUEBO RIVER</h2> - -<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_28" id="Page_28">[28]</a></span></p> - -<hr /> - -<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_29" id="Page_29">[29]</a></span></p> - -<h3>CHAPTER II<br /> -<span class="smaller">THE ESSEQUEBO RIVER</span></h3> - -<div class="poetry-container"> -<div class="poetry"> -<div class="verse">Vainly does each, as he glides,</div> -<div class="verse">Fable and dream</div> -<div class="verse">Of the lands which the River of Time</div> -<div class="verse">Had left ere he woke on its breast,</div> -<div class="verse">Or shall reach when his eyes have been closed.</div> -<div class="verse">Only the tract where he sails</div> -<div class="verse">He wots of; only the thoughts,</div> -<div class="verse">Raised by the objects he passes, are his.</div> -<div class="verse right"><span class="smcap">Matthew Arnold</span>: <i>The Future</i>.</div> -</div> -</div> - -<p>The problem of improving the Colony’s lines of -communication into the interior may be said to -be the problem of circumventing the Essequebo -River. For instance, it is the Essequebo and its -tributary the Rupununi which ought to form a -natural highway across British Guiana to Brazil. -But the cattle-track, just opened to Georgetown -from the Colony’s lowland savannahs near the -Brazilian border, studiously avoids the Essequebo, -which it touches only at Kurupukari, there crossing -the river and leaving it for good. Again, the -Essequebo and its tributary the Cuyuni should -form the main avenue of approach from British<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_30" id="Page_30">[30]</a></span> -Guiana to Ciudad Bolivar on the Orinoco, in the -heart of Venezuela. But it is very likely that, -when the time comes for linking this Colony to -Venezuela by road or railway, the line will but -touch the Essequebo to bridge its estuary, and -then make across country to the Tumeremo -savannahs. Similarly, the problem of reaching -Kaietuk and the highland savannahs of British -Guiana has now become the problem of avoiding -the Essequebo.</p> - -<p>It is a tantalizing river. Twelve miles wide -at its mouth; two miles wide at Bartika, where -the commingled Cuyuni and Mazaruni join it; -and still fully the same width at Rockstone, where -the Demerara-Essequebo Railway strikes it—nevertheless, -its innumerable cataracts and rapids -make it a snare and an illusion to the navigator. -In fact, the <i>raison d’être</i> of the Demerara-Essequebo -Railway is to short-circuit the extremely -dangerous series of cataracts between Rockstone -and Bartika, in which many lives have been lost. -By crossing the low divide between the two rivers, -the traveller reaches the Essequebo at Rockstone, -well above these dangers. He then has a -navigable stretch of sixty miles before him to -Tumutumari.</p> - -<div class="figcenter" style="width: 500px;"> -<img id="illus3" src="images/illus3.jpg" width="500" height="350" alt="" /> -<p class="caption"><span class="smcap">Watersmeet of commingled Cuyuni and Mazaruni Rivers -with Essequebo.</span></p> -<p class="caption-r"><a href="#Page_31">To face page 31.</a></p> -</div> - -<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_31" id="Page_31">[31]</a></span></p> - -<p>This short-circuit, however, misses some interesting -country. At Bartika, thirty miles below -Rockstone, the commingled Cuyuni and Mazaruni -Rivers flow into the Essequebo, and very -beautiful is the watersmeet of the three stately -streams. On one hand, the shining waters of -the Cuyuni invite one, as the morning mists roll -away, to follow its gleaming track to Venezuela; -whilst, on the other, Mazaruni, “black water,” -as its Indian name implies, though flecked with -spume from its dread cataracts, has lured on -many a diamond-seeker to the very shadow of -Roraima’s unscalable precipices.</p> - -<p>Amid the mingling Mazaruni and Cuyuni, -with a clear view down to the Essequebo, lies -Kyk-over-all, a tiny island, where the earliest -Dutch settlers lived in a fort, whose picturesque -ruins still remain. These hardy pioneers established -themselves here as early as the opening -years of the seventeenth century, and traded with -the Indians chiefly in anatto dye. To “see over -all” was indeed a necessity for that tiny handful -of white men, whose sole connection with Europe, -civilization, and succour was but one solitary ship -in a year! The Dutch also established a settlement -at Kartabo, a bamboo-crowned point on the<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_32" id="Page_32">[32]</a></span> -nearest mainland, about half a mile away, whence -a speedy flight to the fort could be made in case -of danger descried. Kartabo Point lies exactly -between Mazaruni and Cuyuni, and here the New -York Zoological Society hopes to establish a permanent -research station under Dr. William -Beebe, who considers the neighbourhood a paradise -from the naturalist’s point of view.</p> - -<p>Within sight, a few miles downstream, His -Majesty’s Penal Settlement affords to the convicts -all that Nature can offer to cheer their toil! -There is naturally no stone in the silted mud flat -on which lies the inhabited part of British Guiana; -but the excellent granite of which the hills near -the Settlement are composed forms the quarry -whence all the stone used on the coast has been -obtained. Convict labour has also built a dry-dock -adjacent to the prison.</p> - -<p>I have never been beyond Kartabo on the -Mazaruni, but I remember a delightful expedition -up the Cuyuni to Matope. We started from -the Penal Settlement in the delicious freshness -of the early morning, and were carried by the big -prison launch to the foot of the Camaria rapids, -where there is a road-portage of three miles. -“Jack” and “Jill,” two panting Ford lorries,<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_33" id="Page_33">[33]</a></span> -conveyed us with many bumps and jerks over the -uneven, hilly road. A prison gang was out -“improving” the road-surface by shovelling -loose sand into the ruts. Their work looked very -nice, and certainly had not exhausted or overheated -the dusky road-menders; but poor -“Jack” and “Jill” found sand-filled ruts more -than they could bear and constantly stuck fast, -whilst their boiling radiators protested noisily with -spurts of angry steam, and “all man” found -assisting them out again distinctly more strenuous -than road-mending. Next I have memories -of a long, lazy afternoon, when, embarked -once more, we puffed and panted slowly upstream -from Camaria, or else drifted in lazy -silence on the bosom of the big sleepy river, -whilst our out-board motor refused to function. -The delightful blue hills on each bank -of the Cuyuni seemed shouldering each other -aside to catch a glimpse of the unaccustomed -life; and the exquisite peace made me wish -“ever to seem falling asleep in a half-dream,” -until the diabolical spitting and puffing reasserted -itself and restored me to reality again.</p> - -<p>We managed to reach Matope before dusk in -spite of many breakdowns. Here, amid tree-crowned<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_34" id="Page_34">[34]</a></span> -rocks, the river swirls down in fifteen -separate cataracts; and, in the days of Wenamu -and Pigeon Island gold booms, Matope rest-house, -post office, and bond-store were established -on the two most accessible islets, and a -launch service plied thither. We were joyously -greeted by the black officer in charge of the -station, who proudly displayed to us the attractions -of his lonely little domain and ferried us in -the gathering dusk—for twilight is, alas! unknown -in the tropics—across to the rest-house -island, a most enchanting spot. Here, after the -bustle of disembarkation and the long, hot day, a -bathe in the cool, soft river water, like cream to -the skin, was delightful indeed, though it had to -be accompanied by a furious splashing to frighten -the <i>pirai</i>, an unpleasant flesh-eating fish that nips -off the fingers and toes of the unwary ere they -know it. Then, lulled by the musical roar of the -cataracts, we slept soundly until, at 3 a.m., the -“howling baboons” howled. To anyone who has -never heard these creatures it is perhaps impossible -to convey any idea of this marvellous sound. -The South American baboons have howling bones -in their throats, and at a distance of some miles -their “howl” sounds merely like a storm-wind<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_35" id="Page_35">[35]</a></span> -soughing through distant tree-tops; but, when -they are close at hand, the whole air is alive with -the din, so that you cannot tell from which direction -it proceeds. Every nerve in your body -tingles, and there is a curious fascination in the -great volume of sound, which used to remind -me dimly of the boom of the big temple-bell -through the cryptomeria groves of far-distant -Japan.</p> - -<p>Near Matope, on a hill-shoulder on the right -bank of the river, stand the ruins of the house in -which the government gold officer of the district -used to live in the days of the big gold rushes. -He must have had a charming abode. We explored -remains of a lovely garden terraced in the -hill-side. Beautiful clumps of feathery bamboo -framed delicious views of sky, river, and forest, -adream in the golden sunlight; whilst bougainvillea, -oleander, and petrea made the foreground -a riot of colour. But Nature in tropical climates -pursues her task of blotting out the works of man -with surprising swiftness. The house, a wooden -structure of the usual Creole type, had fallen to -pieces inside under the influence of wood-ants, -and its three stories were filled with a glorious -alamander-bush, thrusting its golden blossoms<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_36" id="Page_36">[36]</a></span> -everywhere, filling all the deserted space, and -forcing its way out over the roof.</p> - -<p>Doubtless one day in the far-distant future -these lovely reaches of river will be colonized. -Plantations of limes, coffee, and rubber will -replace the all-enveloping forests, and managers’ -houses will crown the little hills. Although so -close to the equator, the sun in British Guiana -has little of its eastern fierceness and the climate -is wonderfully healthy, if elementary principles -of hygiene and sanitation are observed. Once -away from the mosquito-ridden coastal swamps, -our experience has always been that we can -expose and exert ourselves in a way that would -be impossible in the East, and I believe that on -these inviting hills white men, with wives and -children, could live in health and comfort. Communications -are needed; motor-roads to run -through the forest connecting the settler with -civilization and his neighbours. One pioneer, -Mr. G. B. Withers, has cleared and planted with -rubber the hills on the Mazaruni opposite the -Penal Settlement, and has constructed a motor-road -through the forest to connect his estate with -the Agatash Lime Plantation on the Essequebo -above Bartika. No metalling was necessary,<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_37" id="Page_37">[37]</a></span> -since the forest floor, once cleared of stumps, -makes an admirable surface. All the big forest -trees have been left standing, only the “under-bush” -being removed, for shade thus prevents -the swift upspringing of vegetable growth which -would occur in any place exposed to the direct -rays of the tropical sun. Cool even at midday, -with hats and helmets removed to enjoy the delicious -shade, to drive along these cleverly-aligned -gradients is a treat indeed; and one dreams of -the transformation which might be wrought by -motor transport in this unopened land.</p> - -<p>But the day of motor-roads into the interior -has not yet come, and we reached Rockstone on -our journey to Roraima by railway from Wismar. -At Rockstone the great width of the Essequebo -is disguised, as almost everywhere else, by -islands; for immediately opposite the railway -terminus is Gluck Island, fully seven miles long, -in whose marshy jungle the Victoria Regia lily -was originally found. Apart from the railway-station, -the only other building there is a pleasant -little bungalow hotel, in which we spent the -night. The full moon over the Essequebo was -very pretty.</p> - -<p>We started upstream from Rockstone at<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_38" id="Page_38">[38]</a></span> -6.30 a.m. on the 21st December, 1915, and -arranged ourselves for a long day’s occupation of -the <i>Ark</i>, a primitive sort of house-boat, towed -alongside the motor-launch which plies regularly, -when the state of the river permits, between -Rockstone and Tumatumari. The launch was a -terribly noisy affair, and even in the dignified -seclusion of our <i>Ark</i> we could not hear ourselves -speak. However, once comfortably established -in hammocks, we could lose ourselves in our -books. One of the most important parts of an -outfit for a bush journey, and certainly one that -requires very careful thought, is the choice of -one’s library; for who would dream of starting, -like Musset’s <i>Ninon</i>, “en voyage sans livre”? -You want, first of all, books that contain a good -deal of reading matter in them, so that you may -not run through the pages too quickly; and the -more they afford of piquant contrast to the surroundings -you are likely to encounter, the better; -whilst an enduring charm will be thrown for you -over any favourite work which has accompanied -you across hill and dale and cheered hours of -weary waiting in the rain, or of provoking delays -on the part of the food commissariat. Sir George -Trevelyan’s <i>Life and Letters</i> of that most<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_39" id="Page_39">[39]</a></span> -delightful of men, Lord Macaulay, Macaulay’s -Essays, <i>Kim</i> and <i>Vanity Fair</i>, have all acquired -for me a peculiar and indescribable flavour, since -this or that passage recalls some incident of travel -or lazy hammock hours in river and forest, when, -as supper was a-preparing or the pit-pat of rain -beat on our tent-roof, I lay luxuriating in the -delightfulness of freshly-donned, dry footgear and -in the anticipation of “pigtail soup.”</p> - -<p>The Essequebo was unusually low on this occasion, -and the silver sand-reefs jutted out of the -water like bones. At midday we were stopped -by the Kopano sands, which forbade further progress. -Here we waited a long three hours for a -smaller launch, the <i>Nelly</i>, which was expected -downstream from Tumatumari to discharge -her crowd of “balata-bleeders” and “pork-knockers” -into our bigger launch for their return -journey <i>via</i> Rockstone to the joys of a Christmas -in civilization. We found the time long, in spite -of lunch, Lord Macaulay, and the view of a flat-topped -hill known as the Arosaro Mountain, a -welcome sight to eyes that had scarcely seen any -rising ground for two years. It is a low forest-clad -hill with a flat top and cliff-edges, the first -sounding of the Roraima <i>leit-motif</i>. We were,<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_40" id="Page_40">[40]</a></span> -however, anxious to reach Tumatumari that -night, for we knew that the <i>Ark</i> must be left -behind with the big launch, while the tarpaulins -and camp gear, that would have made a bivouac -on the river-bank tolerable, had preceded us by -some days with our stores. At 3 p.m. we welcomed -the sight of a puff of dark smoke on the -wide stretch of smooth, still water before us; but -it was close on 4 p.m. before our transhipment -was complete and our fate committed to the -launch <i>Nelly</i>. She was quite unspeakable—filthy -dirty, with a shocking vibration—but we were -thankful enough when she did vibrate, for the -hateful little thing constantly broke down and -floated helplessly on the vast expanse of desolate -water, as we anxiously scanned the lingering daylight, -the while an unhappy son of Ham wrestled -in vain with his engine. My husband managed -to sling a hammock for me inside the launch, and -that was a great comfort; but the noise was -excruciating. The coxswain, a nice fellow called -Lekha, half East Indian and half black, said his -orders were to get us through, if possible, but -that Crabbu Falls could not be run in the dark. -As he spoke, the vixenish launch broke down -again, and required half an hour’s patching up.<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_41" id="Page_41">[41]</a></span> -A little later the engines stopped once more for -a quarter of an hour. We felt rather miserable, -as a more comfortless place in which to spend the -night than that abominable little <i>Nelly</i> could -hardly be imagined, and no food was available, -save tea and the remains of a cake, with some -slabs of chocolate which I fortunately had handy; -so we were now pretty hungry. By 6.30 p.m. it -was dark. Rich, fresh, sweet scents were wafted -to us from the banks; but, though the moon rose -beautifully at 7 p.m., she hid her fickle light soon -afterwards behind a cloud-bank. However, our -cox was a real good fellow. By help of a very -feeble light from the dimmed moon, he got us -safely through Tigri Rapids—a tortuous race -between rocks—and at about 8.30 p.m. we got to -the foot of Crabbu Falls. Here another launch, -the <i>Potaro</i>, was waiting to help us up the rapid, -and the blazing crude oil of her engines made the -night a weird <i>inferno</i> of noise and glare. She -was lying near a sandy spit; and, when <i>Nelly</i> got -alongside her, we managed to push out a plank, -scrambled ashore, and strolled about to stretch -our cramped limbs. There was a banaboo of -Patamona Indians near by, whose inhabitants -came out silently to watch at a safe distance our<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_42" id="Page_42">[42]</a></span> -strange proceedings. The flickering light of the -burning oil lit up their dusky figures uncannily.</p> - -<p>At length the moon, which was full, cleared -somewhat, and Lekha decided to risk the attempt -of climbing the rapid. <i>Nelly</i> and <i>Potaro</i> were -lashed side by side and, steaming together, were -to surmount the rapid. But the first attempt -failed. We steamed up, gaining ground inch by -inch, till, just as we were at the crest of the rapid, -<i>Nelly’s</i> engines stopped again, and we had to -slide back. Next time, however, <i>Potaro</i> made -the attempt towing <i>Nelly</i> as dead-weight, and -just did it. Lekha then said that <i>Potaro</i> drew -too much water to continue safely upstream, as -she might hit on a sand-bank. But I declared -that I would prefer any fate to that of returning -to <i>Nelly</i>; and Lekha, who was really a sportsman, -agreed to transfer our few belongings to -the bigger launch and take us on. Two miles -above Crabbu Falls we entered the mouth of the -Potaro River, and puffed our hesitating way -over its black course, the moon having disappeared -again as soon as she had seen us safely surmount -the rapid. Darkness, of course, hid from us the -lovely view of blue mountain ranges, which we -have subsequently seen from Potaro mouth, hills<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_43" id="Page_43">[43]</a></span> -which verily looked to us the “delectable mountains.” -We reached Tumatumari, ten miles up -the Potaro, shortly before midnight, as tired as -dinnerless folk well could be; but that was the -only really unpleasant day of all our forty days in -the wilderness.</p> - -<p>Such an experience naturally prompts the -question: Is there no better way of getting from -Georgetown to the Potaro? Cannot this section -also of the Essequebo be circumvented? Yes, a -better way has been found, but it has not yet been -made available for public use. There already -exist eighteen and a half miles of railway from -Vreed-en-hoop, on the Demerara River, opposite -Georgetown, to Parika, on the Essequebo -estuary. There also exists a much-neglected -road, 67 miles long, built years ago by prison -labour, from Bartika to the Kaburi gold-fields. -It is now proposed to extend the railway for a -distance of some thirty-four miles from Parika -to a point opposite Bartika; and the trace has -also been cut of a road extension from Kaburi to -a place known as Garraway’s Landing, on the -Potaro. The total distance from Bartika to Garraway’s -Landing would be about a hundred -miles; and, if this route were made available for<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_44" id="Page_44">[44]</a></span> -motor traffic, it would be possible with suitable -arrangements to make the journey by train from -Georgetown to Bartika and onwards by motor-car -from Bartika to the Potaro River in a single -day between sunrise and sunset. Such a line of -communication would be a boon to the colonists -both at Bartika and on the Potaro River, besides -being a great step towards bringing the Kaietuk -plateau within reach; and I hope the day may -not be far distant when its construction will be -taken in hand.</p> - -<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_45" id="Page_45">[45]</a></span></p> - -<hr /> - -<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_46" id="Page_46">[46]</a></span></p> - -<h2 id="CHAPTER_III">THE POTARO DISTRICT</h2> - -<hr /> - -<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_47" id="Page_47">[47]</a></span></p> - -<h3>CHAPTER III<br /> -<span class="smaller">THE POTARO DISTRICT</span></h3> - -<div class="poetry-container"> -<div class="poetry"> -<div class="verse">Quid non mortalia pectora cogis,</div> -<div class="verse">Auri sacra fames?</div> -<div class="verse right"><span class="smcap">Virgil</span>: <i>Æneid</i>, iii. 56.</div> -</div> -</div> - -<p>Tumatumari is a formidable cataract with rocky -islands amidst its swirling rush of waters. The -name is said to mean “as hot as pepper.” All -river traffic, whether upstream or downstream, is -stopped by this obstacle, and a portage between -the lower and the upper landing must be made -over about half a mile of good cart-road. On the -right bank stands a nice wooden bungalow, -belonging to Sprostons, built on a bluff overlooking -the river. There are also several other houses, -including a land office, a police-station and a post -office, in this little outpost; and many “bucks,” -as the aborigines are called in local parlance, live -in the neighbourhood. From a point just above -the cataract Sprostons run a launch service for -another ten miles upstream past Garraway’s -Landing to a place known as Potaro Landing,<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_48" id="Page_48">[48]</a></span> -and there all public service ends. Potaro Landing -is the northern terminus of a cart-road, about -twenty-three miles long, running between the -Potaro and Konawaruk Rivers and serving the -Minnehaha Gold Mining Company’s settlement. -It runs as a sort of Nile through a desert of dense -forest.</p> - -<p>Great is the energy of the white man! In -lands where all Nature cries to him, “Be still; -do not exert yourself; keep a dry skin!” and -where she relentlessly obliterates with importunate -veils of quick-springing jungle all traces of -his efforts, if ever he suspends them, he nevertheless -pursues his way, dragging his machinery, and -defying the mosquito! But in British Guiana -he is hopelessly handicapped by want of labour. -What can he do, if he cannot command the hands -effectually to conquer the wilderness, to roll back -the jungle, to plant and tend and reap?</p> - -<p>The road up from the river-side at Potaro Landing -is wide, but excessively bad. It begins by -climbing up a hill of loose sand, in which the -heated wayfarer toils along ankle-deep, save -where a very rough corduroy of timber changes -the form of his penance. Even the fortunate -occupant of a dogcart is little better off, for the<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_49" id="Page_49">[49]</a></span> -jarring to one’s spine as the wheels jolt from log -to log is almost more than body and bones can -endure. After the first seven miles the road-surface -changes and becomes ironstone gravel, good -enough to permit motor traffic, provided one does -not set too much store by the springs of the car. -From the road there are interesting glimpses of -the black cliffs of Eagle Mountain and another -range of grim precipices, frowning like prison -walls on either hand. The valley, thus shut in, -is intensely hot. The soil is fertile, and limes -especially thrive, though all cultivation is precarious, -when established on an oasis, amid the -jungle, and thus woefully exposed to the depredations -of birds and cushie ants. These ants frequently -clear a patch of cultivation in a single -night of every blade of greenstuff.</p> - -<p>When, in 1917, we visited the hospitable -manager of the Minnehaha Company at his house, -situated near the tenth milestone of the road, -there was a big dredge at work washing gold in -Mahdia creek at “Nine Miles,” and another was -in process of being shifted from “Fifteen Miles” -to a point lower down the Minnehaha creek, near -the twentieth mile-post. The Company also -maintains a comfortable and picturesque bungalow<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_50" id="Page_50">[50]</a></span> -at “Eighteen Miles.” Near the fifteenth -mile you cross the divide between the Potaro and -Konawaruk Rivers, and the road then runs along -the banks of the Minnehaha creek. This once -was a picturesque stream, but the washing for -gold has discoloured it and altered its course. A -track branches off from “Fifteen Miles” and -runs up into the Eagle Mountain, where quartz-mining -operations had just been begun when war -broke out and work was unavoidably suspended.</p> - -<p>The administrative headquarters of the district -are at the eleventh mile, where the Government -maintains a court-house, a police-station, and a -dispensary. Several shops are dotted at intervals -along the road, and more than one church. -Nor must I omit to mention the “Potaro -Library,” an imposing-looking shed consisting -of side-posts, a roof, and a floor, and proclaiming -its title in large letters, but (apart from the total -absence of all books) a somewhat strange building -to enjoy the title of “library.” I understand it -is frequently used for dancing. The shopkeepers -of the Potaro Road and, I believe, in all the -Colony’s gold districts are Chinese. I shut my -eyes and imagined the difference that would be -wrought in that desolate scene if a million or so<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_51" id="Page_51">[51]</a></span> -of their almond-eyed brethren could be transported -hither. How would the wilderness blossom -as a rose, air and light enter, where reigns -mosquito-breeding jungle, and the fertile land -smile with all that maketh glad the heart of man! -Now, if you bump over the excruciating corduroy -and the large stones embedded in the road, -and especially if light is fading and darkness -gathering, the melancholy of the long, dreary, -winding way, with its scattered settlements and -struggling clearings, penetrates your very bones -and gives you a sensation of physical disquiet.</p> - -<p>I have, nevertheless, very pleasant recollections -of the Potaro District and of the cheery hospitality -of the Company’s manager and his three -or four white assistants, chiefly New Zealanders. -Their pluck, good spirits, and eagerness in their -work made a vivid impression on my mind, as -did the interesting process of gold-washing, which -we observed on Mahdia creek. The dredge-buckets -bring up quantities of yellow mud from -the bed of the stream, and this mud is washed by -water along a sort of wide gutter with gratings -across the bottom. The gold-bearing matter, -being heavier than the rest, gravitates down -through the gratings on to coconut matting<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_52" id="Page_52">[52]</a></span> -sprinkled with quicksilver. This process is called -“washing up.” When it has continued for a -considerable time, the coconut mattings are carefully -washed and beaten, and all that comes out, -including the quicksilver, which has charged itself -with the gold particles, is again washed through -a box by a jet of water. The box has three layers -of plush in it, and the water is strained through -these layers. The residue is very fine black dust, -from which the gold-bearing quicksilver is carefully -separated and carried off to be smelted. -This process is called “streaming down.”</p> - -<p>From the manager’s bungalow at the tenth mile -a very pleasant alternative route back to Tumatumari, -avoiding the launch trip, is to ride over the -seventeen miles of Tiger creek trail. This trail -was opened as a bridle track for the accommodation -of the “pork-knockers,” who washed Tiger -creek for gold, at one time very profitably, though -the “placers” are now worked out. A branch -line, also made up as a bridle track, goes off from -this trail to St. Mary’s, on the Konawaruk River, -where the British Guiana Gold Mining Company -have dredges at work. The ride is delightful, if -one be mounted on a sure-footed mule. The -forest trees are veritable giants, and their deep<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_53" id="Page_53">[53]</a></span> -shadow prevents the suffocating undergrowth -from springing up. The line, when we rode over -it, was clean, and all bridges were in good repair. -It is absolutely cool even at midday in the -exquisite shade, and we enjoyed charming little -views, where the path wound pleasantly up and -down small hills. At times it runs beside the -deep pools of beautiful Tiger creek and its picturesque -slides of amber water and creamy foam. -Being mounted, we had the pleasure, rare to -travellers in the bush, of looking about us instead -of being obliged to watch our feet carefully all -the time, or pay the penalty by a stumble. Thus -I caught sight of an ant-bear, and we observed -that remarkable animal, with its enormous tail -and long snout, ambling along on the hill-side -below us for quite fifty yards. It appears that -ant-bears are bold creatures and fear nothing, as -everything else takes care to give them a wide -berth. Though they only eat ants, they have a -way of rising on their hind legs, gripping an -adversary with their inturned front claws, and -then tearing him open with their hinder ones. -Big ant-bears have been known to do this to men.</p> - -<p>When the time comes to improve communications -in this part of the Colony, the Potaro<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_54" id="Page_54">[54]</a></span> -River will doubtless be bridged at Garraway’s -Landing, where it is only 300 feet wide. Then -a line will be cut to join the Potaro-Konawaruk -Road at “Two Miles”; and from this second -mile-post another road will branch off to rejoin -the river and climb to Kaietuk and the highland -country beyond, up the wonderful Potaro Gorge.</p> - -<p>To-day a trail leads away into the forest westwards -from “Two Miles,” where a rough sign-board -proudly points the way “To Kaieteur.”<a name="FNanchor_1" id="FNanchor_1"></a><a href="#Footnote_1" class="fnanchor">[1]</a> -Gladly does the wayfarer step into the restful -shade after the glare of white sand on the cart-road, -and grateful indeed is the cool springiness -of the leaf-strewn forest floor. After five miles -along this trail, where from time to time the roar -of unseen cataracts breaks the silence, the path -emerges on Potaro bank once more, at a place -known as Kangaruma. Here, on a low hill immediately -above the river, is a small clearing with -a wooden rest-house, belonging to Sprostons, a -couple of Indian troolie-sheds, and some provision-fields.</p> - -<p>It is on account of the long series of rapids -below Kangaruma that the portage of seven miles -from Potaro Landing has to be made, and the<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_55" id="Page_55">[55]</a></span> -river’s big loop to the north is also thus circumvented.</p> - -<p>When travelling up the Potaro Gorge we have -always sent our stores on ahead of us to Kangaruma, -and arranged for our Indian carriers, or -<i>droghers</i>, to await us there. Then from this spot -one fairly “pulls out on the Long Trail, the trail -that is always new.”</p> - -<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_56" id="Page_56">[56]</a></span></p> - -<hr /> - -<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_57" id="Page_57">[57]</a></span></p> - -<h2 id="CHAPTER_IV">THE POTARO GORGE</h2> - -<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_58" id="Page_58">[58]</a></span></p> - -<hr /> - -<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_59" id="Page_59">[59]</a></span></p> - -<h3>CHAPTER IV<br /> -<span class="smaller">THE POTARO GORGE</span></h3> - -<div class="poetry-container"> -<div class="poetry"> -<div class="verse">He lured her away so far,</div> -<div class="verse">Past so many a wood and valley and hill,</div> -<div class="verse">That now, would you know where they are?</div> -<div class="verse">In a bark on a silver stream,</div> -<div class="verse">As fair as you see in a dream.</div> -<div class="verse right"><span class="smcap">A. O’Shaughnessy</span>: <i>Zuleika</i>.</div> -</div> -</div> - -<p>Once the stores are all safely packed in the tent-boat, -the paddlers established on their thwarts, -and after the last wild rush up the bank to secure -some precious, almost forgotten article, such as -kettle or saucepan, how delightful it is to feel -that at length one is off into the very heart of the -wilderness! The soothing splash of the paddles -is inexpressibly welcome after the din of launch -travel, and we surrender ourselves to the enjoyment -of the big restful silence and unchanging -peace of the dreamy forest-wrapped river, and -to delightful anticipation of wonders to come.</p> - -<p>On the journey to Roraima, we left Kangaruma -in the afternoon of 22nd December, 1915. -Our party consisted, besides Mr. Menzies and<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_60" id="Page_60">[60]</a></span> -ourselves, of Haywood, our black cook, a most -excellent and capable fellow, and of fourteen -aborigines. Scanning the expressionless bronze -figures of these Indians as they paddled steadily -upstream, I speculated on what manner of men -they might be, these dwellers amid trees and -waters, whose home lies in the very bosom of -Nature, and who look to her alone to supply all -their needs. Nine of them came from the -Demerara River, and the remaining five were -Makusis from the highlands whither we were -bound. Two of these five—Johnny and Thomas -by name—were headmen of Puwa, a village near -the Ireng River and close to the Brazilian frontier. -The Makusis were good fellows and did yeomen -service; but the natives of the Demerara River, -as we discovered to our cost, were an idle and -worthless set. They had already suffered the -contaminating effects of civilization, and great -were the delays and annoyance we had to endure -from them, until we were able to exchange them -for the willing and athletic Makusis of the highlands.</p> - -<p>Above Kangaruma stretch some seventeen -miles of smooth water to Amatuk, where once -more the roar and rush of a cataract break on<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_61" id="Page_61">[61]</a></span> -the river’s repose. Amatuk is a delightfully -pretty place. The Potaro here is joined by the -Amuk creek, and then rushes in two cataracts -round a rocky tree-crowned island, swirling out, -all foam-beflecked, into a bay below. In the -centre of the right-hand cataract, down which the -great bulk of the water flows, there is a sheer drop -of some thirty feet, and a fountain of white foam -leaps upward. On a low knoll, looking over the -bay and immediately above the left-hand cataract, -stands another wooden rest-house. This knoll -has been cleared of the dense bush, which -dominates all else, and delicious English bracken -grows freely on its sandy slopes.</p> - -<p>We arrived by starlight; and, whilst the baggage -was being carried up to the rest-house and -supper made ready, I lay in my hammock watching -an exquisite moon rising from out the million -tree-tops of the forest, with a foreground -of dimly shining river. The music of falling -water filled the air, and the stars gleamed like -great lamps hung athwart the night. Wherever -we may in future travel, a hammock shall always -accompany me. It enables one to be made as -comfortable as possible in two minutes, though -for sleeping at nights we must confess to being<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_62" id="Page_62">[62]</a></span> -luxurious enough to require camp-beds. To our -delight, we each of us needed a warm blanket that -night; and, when you have scarcely used the -lightest blanket for two years, it is a real luxury -to enjoy a good heavy one again. Rain fell all -night long, and at dawn heavy mist-wreaths lay -about the hills.</p> - -<div class="figcenter" style="width: 500px;"> - -<img id="illus4" src="images/illus4.jpg" width="500" height="350" alt="" /> - -<p class="caption"><span class="smcap">Mount Sakwai on Potaro River near Tukeit.</span></p> - -<img id="illus5" src="images/illus5.jpg" width="500" height="350" alt="" /> - -<p class="caption"><span class="smcap">Watersmeet of Potaro and Amuk Rivers at Amatuk, showing -Mount Kenaima on right and Mount Kukui in centre -above river-mist.</span></p> - -<p class="caption-r"><a href="#Page_62">To face page 62</a></p> - -</div> - -<p>Amatuk is the gateway to the beautiful -Kaietuk Gorge. Looking upstream from the -bay below the fall, we saw towering on one side -the peak of Kenaima Mountain, and on the other -side the vertical cliff-face of Mount Kukui. Just -above Amatuk the Potaro emerges from between -these mountains, and is at once joined from the -right by the Amuk creek, which also flows in a -narrow gorge, so blocked by huge boulders and -so difficult of access that it has never yet been -explored. Streams, which are almost better -spoken of as cascades, spring down the faces of -the cliffs, gleaming like white threads against the -red sandstone. Another hint is thus given of the -Roraima <i>leit-motif</i> which rules the land. We -had, indeed, throughout our wanderings the impression -of a mighty symphony. The wondrous -Kaietuk Fall was the first movement whose introduction -began with Amatuk. Thereafter we<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_63" id="Page_63">[63]</a></span> -realized that several days of river and forest journey -were but the transition passages to a movement -of shining tablelands, whose jasper-bedded -rivers repeat everywhere the same <i>leit-motif</i>, -though with a myriad tiny variations, for all the -streams of the highland savannahs tumble in cascades -down vertical faces into a succession of -pools, while long-sought-for and much-dreamt-of -Roraima, with his cliffs over a thousand feet in -height rising out of primeval forest, standing on -his pedestal of rolling savannah uplands, with -waterfalls leaping from his mysterious flat-topped -summit, forms a magnificent résumé and finale -of the whole.</p> - -<p>Next morning, whilst the stores and baggage -were being portaged from the bay below Amatuk -to another boat moored above the falls, we had -leisure to study the beauty of the cataract. The -river was low, so we made our way to the edge -of the water over rocks generally covered by the -rushing stream as it changes from the normal -dark—almost black—flow of its peaceful progress -to the amber swirl and creamy spray of -coming excitement. These diabase rocks are all -flat-topped and deeply fissured, and they contain -here and there curious “jigs,” made by pebbles<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_64" id="Page_64">[64]</a></span> -swept round and round in some tiny whirlpool, -till, as the long ages pass, they dig for themselves -deep circular holes. These “jigs” are eagerly -explored by the diamond prospectors, as sometimes -they contain precious stones. I baled out -one such deep, dark hole with the help of a -Makusi, and obtained a plateful of extremely -pretty pebbles, all tiny and agleam with many -different colours, rose-red, turquoise-blue, pieces -of malachite-green, and many a shining speck of -quartz to raise my hopes. I felt that to be the -actual winner of a real diamond, however small, -would be a delightful experience; but my pebbles, -although pronounced by the authority of Mr. -Menzies and Haywood to be “good diamond -indication,” did not, in spite of their intrinsic -beauty, harbour any stray speck of real value. -Nevertheless, I feel that diamonds will always -have an added charm for me when I think of them -as gifts from that lovely land of unknown streams -and as the ornaments of Nature herself.</p> - -<p>We spent a delightful three hours paddling -upstream to the next portage at Waratuk, surrounded -by the wonderful scenery of the gorge. -Rain fell in little misty veils of shower; and -exquisite forest fragrance, wafted to us from the<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_65" id="Page_65">[65]</a></span> -banks, was strong enough to overpower even the -smell of salt beef and pork which emanated from -our provisions. Potaro here flows between flat-topped -cliffs towering on both sides about a -thousand feet above their own reflections, mirrored -in the black water. The hidden bases of -the hills are clothed in forest, while their sides -are grim precipices, revealing overhangs of castellated -rock and toppling crags with great fissures -and clefts, wild and wondrous to behold.</p> - -<p>At about noon we reached Waratuk, where -another portage is necessary. This is a much -smaller cataract than Amatuk. In fact, at high -river, boats going downstream can run it, whereas -no one would dream of running Amatuk, in the -centre of which is a vertical drop. On the right -bank at Waratuk stands a little shelter with corrugated -iron roof, supported by wallaba posts. -Under its cover we lunched, or rather took “breakfast,” -as the midday meal is invariably called in -this Colony; and at 2 p.m., when all our stores -had been portaged, we set off again in another -smaller craft known as the “parson’s boat,” used -by the Church of England for the missionaries -who at one time travelled up the Potaro to mission-stations, -now abandoned.</p> - -<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_66" id="Page_66">[66]</a></span></p> - -<p>From Waratuk to Tukeit was two hours’ -paddling. The shining lazy river, lying half -asleep between its sentinel hills, seemed already -to have forgotten the wild leap over Kaietuk. But -from our boat we caught several glimpses of the -Kaietuk cliff, which bars the end of the gorge, -and we could just see that corner of the fall itself -which is nearest the left bank.</p> - -<p>The river is studded by rocky islets, and the -stunted trees growing thereon are often literally -laden with long bags of woven sticks which are -the mocking-birds’ nests. At high river I once -counted seventeen on one small tree, which -appeared to rise straight out of the water, its -rock pedestal being entirely submerged.</p> - -<p>Above Tukeit the river is a series of racing -cataracts, curiously broken by deep, still pools, -where the main current would appear to flow -beneath the surface. It is, of course, an entirely -unnavigable piece of water, and to pursue the -valley on foot to the base of the mighty Kaietuk -precipice is an enterprise of extreme difficulty, -not to say danger. Masses of giant boulders -make progress all but impossible; and, save at -very low river, the attempt could not be made. -The Potaro has therefore to be abandoned until<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_67" id="Page_67">[67]</a></span> -some miles above Kaietuk, and no full view of -the waterfall from below is obtainable along the -present line of ascent.</p> - -<p>Sprostons have made a little clearing at Tukeit, -and have put up a wooden rest-house on the left -bank of the river, about a hundred yards from -the water. The forest closes in densely all round, -so that the place has no view, and besides being -very stuffy, it is full of big biting cow-flies. It -is not a pleasant spot to spend a night in; but -nevertheless, when encumbered by baggage, one -cannot with the existing means of transport get -up from Amatuk on to the Kaietuk plateau in -one day. On the opposite side of the river, however, -there is an excellent camping-ground on a -beach of shining silver sand, and a rocky dell at -the forest edge, watered by the clear, cold -Tukeit stream dropping from the cliff-tops a -thousand feet above, offers delightful refuge in -the heat of the day. So, if time were no object, -a camp on Tukeit sands for fishing would be an -agreeable interlude in a “bush” journey. The -very deep, still pools of the river near by are a -favourite haunt of <i>haimara</i>, which are excellent -eating. These fish sometimes grow very large, -and Indians wading in the pools are on occasion<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_68" id="Page_68">[68]</a></span> -savagely bitten by them. The aborigines usually -obtain fish by shooting them with bow and arrow. -This they do with much skill and dexterity.</p> - -<p>But who would delay at Tukeit when Kaietuk -calls? We must be up and on!</p> - -<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_69" id="Page_69">[69]</a></span></p> - -<hr /> - -<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_70" id="Page_70">[70]</a></span></p> - -<h2 id="CHAPTER_V">KAIETUK, MOTHER OF MISTS</h2> - -<hr /> - -<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_71" id="Page_71">[71]</a></span></p> - -<h3>CHAPTER V<br /> -<span class="smaller">KAIETUK, MOTHER OF MISTS</span></h3> - -<div class="poetry-container"> -<div class="poetry"> -<div class="verse">The cataracts blow their trumpets from the steep.</div> -<div class="verse right"><span class="smcap">W. Wordsworth</span>: <i>Ode</i>.</div> -</div> -</div> - -<p>There were showers at dawn, but these had -passed over when we started from Tukeit in the -early morning to climb up on to the Kaietuk -plateau. The existing forest trail, after leaving -Tukeit, traverses some low foot-hills, and then -rises sharply to cross the Washibaru creek. Next -follows another steep ascent to the Korumê creek, -which is bridged by <i>tacoubas</i> at a point whose -Indian name has been translated as the “Devil’s -Mother’s Pillars.” Here the country is very -broken, and the whole channel of the Korumê -has been strewn with large boulders that completely -hide the water from sight. It would seem -probable that in time past cliffs stood on both -sides of this gorge, and that they crumbled -inwards, so blocking the exit of the Korumê, -which, nevertheless, has burrowed a way underneath -the rocks and hurries down in a very abrupt<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_72" id="Page_72">[72]</a></span> -cataract to the Potaro. From the Devil’s -Mother’s Pillars there is an exceedingly steep -climb, with a gradient resembling in places a -ladder rather than a road, until the edge of the -Kaietuk plateau is reached at a tree on which the -word “Amen” has been cut. Gossip has it -that on one occasion a respected colonist was -hoisted up to this point, two Indians pulling him -with a rope in front and two more pushing him -behind. He lay down under this tree almost at -his last gasp; and, while he recovered breath, his -companion cut the word “Amen” in the trunk. -It certainly is a villainous climb, especially in -rainy weather, when the moss-covered stepping-stones -are wet and slippery, and it does not improve -with acquaintance. From Amen Point -the forest trail runs along a ridge more or less -level for another couple of miles or so to the -Kaietuk savannah, with the precipitous gorge of -the Potaro on one side and the deep-cut valley -of the Korumê on the other. The Indians say -that this path originated in a track by which -otters descended from the Upper to the Lower -Potaro; and, whether this be so or not, the line -is certainly quite unsuitable for human traffic -even on foot.</p> - -<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_73" id="Page_73">[73]</a></span></p> - -<p>The whole trail runs always in forest, never -affording any view of the Kaietuk Falls or of anything -save the vista of tree-trunks immediately -ahead. Big boulders lie scattered pell-mell round -about in the jungle, some as large as houses, and -many curious orchidaceous plants thrive in the -drenchingly moist atmosphere. The so-called -“Kaieteur lily,” whose green leaves are striped -with brown and black lines and whose heart, when -in flower, is a scarlet feather, grows gaily on -boulder and tree-stem. Then suddenly, when -we had been about two hours on the march from -Tukeit, the forest ended and the trail debouched -on a savannah of flat rock, covered with a thin -layer of sand, in which grass and many charming -wild-flowers grow freely. No sooner do you -reach the savannah than you also come upon the -last of Sprostons’ rest-houses. It stands out in -the open, at a considerable distance from any -water, save what is caught upon its corrugated -iron roof and conveyed to a vat. Behind it and -on both sides all view is cut off by the forest, -which is only a few feet away. In front there -is a small open savannah, and beyond range upon -range of blue, forest-clad hills. But there is -still no sign or sound whatever of the mighty<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_74" id="Page_74">[74]</a></span> -waterfall, and those who do not know could never -guess that anything extraordinary was near by.</p> - -<p>We rested for a few minutes in the bungalow, -enjoying the view and the delicious change of -climate which comes from ascending some 1,500 -feet. Then we walked on a hundred yards or so -across the savannah. The first sign of danger -ahead is a deep fissure in the ground, which must -be crossed carefully. A few steps more, and -with appalling suddenness a terrific chasm yawns -at one’s feet. From the rest-house nothing can -be seen of precipice or chasm, and the forests -which clothe the cliff-tops upon the opposite side -of the river gorge appear to meet the edge of the -savannah. Indeed, this abrupt rift in a landscape -which does not otherwise suggest anything -stupendous startled me afresh each time. It -takes hours to realize the scene. We stood on -the overhanging lip of a precipice: thin air below -us for many hundred feet. Still, however, the -waterfall was almost a mile away across the gulf; -and nothing could be seen of it, for the whole -gorge was filled with mist and thick, white, fleecy -cloud. “Mother of Mists” should Kaietuk be -named, as Roraima is called “Father of -Streams.” In point of fact, however, the word<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_75" id="Page_75">[75]</a></span> -<i>Kaietuk</i> (Dr. Bovallius writes it <i>Kaijituik</i>) means -“Old Man’s Rock,” and the falls are so named -by the Indians, because of a folk-tale to the effect -that an aged Indian, becoming a nuisance to his -relatives, as his feet were infested with chigoes, -which they had to pick out for him, was put in a -woodskin and sent to drift to his death over this -abyss. Strange that Kaietuk’s majestic beauty -should have inspired no better legend than this! -The word <i>tuk</i> or <i>tuik</i> means “rock,” and is also -found in Paka<i>tuk</i>, Ama<i>tuk</i>, Wara<i>tuk</i>, and -<i>Tuk</i>eit, all of which are well-known cataracts on -the Potaro River. The usual spelling “Kaieteur” -is a mere mistake.</p> - -<p>The mists of the waterfall are drawn up and -dispersed in the sunshine, but directly the sun -goes they fill up the gorge and hide everything. -Indeed, it was not till the afternoon on the day of -our arrival that the weather cleared and Kaietuk -stood revealed in all its grandeur. I fear it is -almost impossible to give in words any idea of -this wonder, but I will make an attempt. Lazy, -dreamy Potaro suddenly leaps down fully eight -hundred feet vertically into a great black caldron -below, and then flows through a vast amphitheatre -of precipices, towering to an equal height<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_76" id="Page_76">[76]</a></span> -on either bank, their bases clothed in forest. The -black bush-water, as it reaches the lip of the fall -and the sun strikes it, turns first amber and then -to a creamy spray, and falls in festoons of foam, -which seem living and change incessantly. The -river was low on this occasion, so that comparatively -little water was going over, and it looked -as though the whole mass turned to spray before -reaching the black depths beneath; but sometimes -a puff of wind blew the opalescent foam-curtain -aside for a second, and one caught a -glimpse of the amber column descending. The -contrast between the grim, black and red, -weather-stained cliffs and the flying, gleaming, -living, falling water is marvellously beautiful. -Little wisps of mist float ceaselessly forth from -out the black cavern behind the fall. A glorious -rainbow hovers about it, whilst flights of swallows -cross and recross before it, bathing themselves in -the spray in a manner that would enchant a -Japanese artist. Pairs of macaws sail majestically -past the background of white foam, the -crimson of their under-wings and the brilliant -blue of their bodies gleaming like jewels when -the sun catches them. The fickle come-and-go -of shape and sheen in the restless cataract makes<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_77" id="Page_77">[77]</a></span> -its strange beauties alive with caprice and -mystery; for the eye can follow during several -seconds the lace-like, ever-varying tracery of each -water-wreath as it drops from the lip of Kaietuk -to meet the foam tossed up from the black whirlpool -underneath.</p> - -<p>We spent all the afternoon studying the fall -from various points of view. At the cliff-edge -near Sprostons’ bungalow one can see, but not -photograph, its entire length; and there is a good -view of the tumbling reaches of the river below, -which alternate with large, still pools. You can -also look fully a mile upstream above the fall, -where Potaro flows in a straight reach through a -vast, densely forested plateau, stretching away to -distant blue hills, also forest-clad, save on their -vertical cliff-sides—hills that beckon the traveller -onwards, prophesying further wonders. For -from the Kaietuk savannah a view can be -obtained of Mount Kowatipu, round the spur of -which we were to travel on our further journey -to Roraima, and of the lofty range of mountains, -called by the Indians Kamana and Morakabang, -at the head of the Kopinang River. There is -also an extensive panorama of the plateau and -the mountains on the right bank of the Potaro.</p> - -<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_78" id="Page_78">[78]</a></span></p> - -<p>Sir Walter Egerton, who visited Kaietuk in -1913, had a path cut for him from Sprostons’ rest-house -in a downriver direction, near the edge of -the precipice, through an awesome forest among -black fissures, huge rocks, and forbidding caverns, -for a distance of about a quarter of a mile, to a -bare jut of cliff, which overhangs the gorge at a -point about one mile as the crow flies from the -brink of Kaietuk. From this spot it is possible -to photograph the abyss in its entire height, but -not from any point nearer. The vertical fall is -sixfold that of Niagara, and the whole scene is -on so enormous a scale that it is difficult to realize -how huge is every detail of it all, and one sorely -needs something to give the sense of proportion -with the ordinary workaday world. There is -also a trail from the rest-house to the brink of -the fall, where one obtains a wonderful view down -the gorge to Mount Kenaima at the Amatuk -Gateway and to the dim plains beyond, a distant -sea of forest. But from the water’s edge it is, of -course, impossible to see much of the chasm into -which the river falls, unless you lie prone on the -overhanging rock and look straight down into -the caldron below. Round about the head of -the fall on the left bank of the Potaro is a curious<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_79" id="Page_79">[79]</a></span> -open plain of hard, smooth rock. It is almost -flat, with a gentle incline toward the river-side, -and is strewn with small, round, white pebbles. -Save the wealth of wild-flowers, only scrub -wreathed with golden “Kaietuk vine” and big -orchidaceous plants, some of them ten or twelve -feet high, grow there; but it is a curiously fascinating -place, and forms a weird and fantastic -approach to the fall itself. Surely it would be a -good thing if British Guiana made the whole of -this unique savannah in the immediate vicinity -of Kaietuk, abounding, as it does, in interesting -plants and flowers, into a colonial park, after the -model of the national parks in the United States; -and, if so, when made readily accessible, it should -be a source of health and delight to many generations -of our colonists, whose work compels them -to reside, as a rule, on the hot coastal plains.</p> - -<div class="figcenter" style="width: 500px;"> -<img id="illus6" src="images/illus6.jpg" width="500" height="350" alt="" /> -<p class="caption"><span class="smcap">Potaro Gorge from Kaietuk.</span></p> -<p class="caption-r"><a href="#Page_78">To face page 78.</a></p> -</div> - -<p>We reached Kaietuk on Christmas Eve; and, -as all our baggage and stores had to be carried up -on the back of our Indian droghers from Tukeit -to a point above the waterfall, where Potaro is -again navigable, our headquarters during all -Christmas Day, as well as for the larger part of -Boxing Day, were at Sprostons’ rest-house. I -shall never forget that Christmas Day at Kaietuk.<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_80" id="Page_80">[80]</a></span> -The lights were so wonderful on the gorge, and a -lovely rainbow hovered over the fall. Each time -that I turned away from Kaietuk and looked -down the valley I said to myself: “It is more -lovely than the last time I looked this way;” and, -whenever I turned back to that living, moving -water, I felt, “This really <i>is</i> more wonderful -than a second ago.” One of the most striking -things about Kaietuk is its silence, due, I suppose, -to the foot of the fall being so far below. -Occasionally, when the wind eddied upward, a -great sullen growl came up, and the Makusis -standing beside me at the brink of the cliff -stepped back with a grunt of superstitious alarm.</p> - -<p>The wonder of it all makes coming away very -hard, for one becomes fascinated by the ever-changing -glory and can never look enough. -When, in October, 1917, my husband and I were -three weeks in camp on this plateau, it did not -seem one day too long; and we studied Kaietuk -in all its moods—in misty dawn, magnificent day, -and ghostly moonlight. We pitched camp about -fifty yards from the edge of the abyss, a few feet -above the river-side. It was a heavenly spot. -Our tarpaulins were slung in a little strip of -forest for protection from the weather; but a big<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_81" id="Page_81">[81]</a></span> -rock, jutting out into the river and overarched by -trees, made us the most perfect “parlour” in the -world. As I lay in a hammock, listening to the -delicious swish-swish of the hurrying river, I -could see miles and miles of blue hills and shining -stream below me, right away down the gorge to -Amatuk. What happy, lazy hours that hammock -afforded me, too blissful even for reading, -when one seemed not wholly awake, yet not at -all asleep, and altogether aware of the loveliness -around one! The fall, of course, could not be -seen from the camp, but the air came to us chilled -by its moving waters, cool and invigorating even -at midday. Curiously enough, the mists, which -float ceaselessly forth from behind Kaietuk and -often fill the gorge and roll in clouds over the -savannah, seemed somehow to be abruptly cut -off by the precipice, and never came our way. -Altogether it was the most perfect of many -delightful camps.</p> - -<p>But the day’s occupation was by no means -limited to hammock musings, for our object, -during those three weeks, was to find a practicable -alignment for a motor-road from the -Kaietuk plateau down to Amatuk. A very interesting -and attractive job it was, though it involved<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_82" id="Page_82">[82]</a></span> -us in many an hour’s hard climbing and scrambling, -only to reward us at first with disappointment.</p> - -<p>The work of trail-cutting in the vicinity of -Kaietuk is like groping in the dark. One can -see little or nothing beyond the few yards just -ahead; for the forest shuts out all view, save when -one reaches an abrupt cliff-edge or a little patch -of rocky savannah. In country such as this every -step has to be cut toilfully up and down hillsides, -and no rapid reconnaissance survey is possible. -Oh for a hydroplane, with which to get a -bird’s-eye view of plateau, ravine, and river!</p> - -<p>The Indians we found to be of no use to us as -guides to the country, and they did not at all -relish the job on which we were engaged. They -have a superstitious fear of Kaietuk and all its -surroundings. They consider that the whole -place spooks, and they constantly murmur about -“kenaima” whilst at work. This is their word -for ghosts and spirits, and they have given to the -mountain standing above Amatuk, at the -entrance to the Potaro gorge, the name of Mount -Kenaima. From its summit the smoke as of -fires is said constantly to ascend, though no man -walks thereon. Between Kangaruma and Chenapowu,<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_83" id="Page_83">[83]</a></span> -some fifty miles of river, there is not a -single human habitation, and the surrounding -country appears unknown to the aborigines. Our -men dared not even look at the Kaietuk Fall -when by themselves, and, if obliged to approach -it, hurried past with averted eyes. They would -not leave camp unless two might go together, and -they plainly were reluctant to cut lines through -the rock-strewn forests round about, painting -their faces with red streaks to ward off malign -influences. Would that evil could indeed be -averted by so simple an expedient! The truth -may be that the numerous caverns of this region -are haunted by jaguars and possibly by other wild -beasts, and that Indians have been killed from -time to time when passing through the gorge.</p> - -<p>Still, after many failures we at last succeeded -in finding a line. My husband’s first idea was to -circumvent entirely the ravines of the Washibaru -and Korumê creeks, which form the chief -obstacles in the ascent to Kaietuk. So he cut a -path from the edge of Kaietuk Fall in a direction -at right angles to the Potaro across the Kaietuk -plateau, descending into the Korumê valley. He -then continued up this valley until he reached a -saddle, where, at a height of about 1,150 feet<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_84" id="Page_84">[84]</a></span> -above Tukeit, is the source of the Korumê. After -that he crossed over on to another plateau above -the left bank of the Korumê, and so made his -way to the head-waters of the Washibaru creek. -But, although the two ravines had thus been circumvented, -no reasonable gradient could be -found downhill, beyond Washibaru Head, either -to Tukeit or to Waratuk. At last we decided to -explore the Korumê defile itself, in spite of its -forbidding aspect at Devil’s Mother’s Pillars, and -shortly after dawn one day we walked to Korumê -Head, taking four Makusis with us.</p> - -<p>The Indians had so persistently declared this -valley to be “no walky” that we scarcely dared -to hope that it would be possible to get along it -for any distance; and my husband, anticipating -some very troublesome scrambling, desired me to -return to camp and leave him with the four men -to make the attempt. But the men hung back -so much that I was obliged to follow to drive -them after him. My husband led the way, -plunging ahead through a thick jungle of scrub -and bush-rope. Then, when he reached the farthest -point from which he could see me through -the forest veil, he signalled to me, and I gave the -word to the men to cut a straight line to where<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_85" id="Page_85">[85]</a></span> -he stood. This process we repeated again and -again hour after hour. The going was amazingly -good—too good to last, and we expected -every minute to be stopped by a waterfall or by a -jumble of rock and cliff. It was very exciting -and very delightful. The gradient was 28 per -cent. over the first 4,854 feet, there being no -rock obstruction whatsoever. Then for another -4,438 feet of gentle descent the ground surface, -though by no means bad, was less easy, and the -line had to be graded round the hill-side instead -of running on the valley floor. Eventually we -were held up by a welter of huge <i>tacoubas</i>, and -turned back, our men being tired and sulky. But -on later days my husband completed the trail, -though from the point where we had stopped on -the first day things were not so easy. Obstacles -were incessant for the remaining 2,400 feet to -Devil’s Mother’s Pillars, where it will be necessary -to make a hair-pin bend in the road alignment, -and the country between the Korumê and -the Washibaru creeks is also rough and difficult. -Nevertheless, when we broke up camp at Kaietuk -to return to Georgetown, we had a complete -track to Tukeit, and since then the line has been -surveyed, continued to Amatuk, and examined<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_86" id="Page_86">[86]</a></span> -by an engineer, who reported on the 31st October, -1918, that the cost of a motor-road from -Amatuk to Washibaru would be about $92,000, -and from Washibaru up the Korumê valley to -Kaietuk plateau about $37,300. It only remains -now to trace the alignment of a road from Garraway’s -Landing to Amatuk in order to complete -the scheme of a highway from Bartika past -Kaburi and across the Potaro-Konawaruk Road -to Kaietuk. What a difference it will make to -life in British Guiana when it is possible to reach -that wonderland in a day’s drive by motor-car -from Bartika!</p> - -<hr /> - -<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_87" id="Page_87">[87]</a></span></p> - -<h2 id="CHAPTER_VI">THE ASCENT TO THE HIGHLAND SAVANNAHS</h2> - -<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_88" id="Page_88">[88]</a></span></p> - -<hr /> - -<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_89" id="Page_89">[89]</a></span></p> - -<h3>CHAPTER VI<br /> -<span class="smaller">THE ASCENT TO THE HIGHLAND -SAVANNAHS</span></h3> - -<div class="poetry-container"> -<div class="poetry"> -<div class="verse">I will make a palace, fit for you and me</div> -<div class="verse indent1">Of green days in forests.</div> -<div class="verse right"><span class="smcap">R. L. Stevenson</span>: <i>Romance</i>.</div> -</div> -</div> - -<p>In the long, straight reach of the Potaro, immediately -above Kaietuk, there are several rapids; -and the dangerous proximity of the Kaietuk -abyss itself makes this stretch of the river an -undesirable starting-point for an upstream journey. -Mr. Menzies told us a harrowing tale of a -bushman who years ago, wishing to cross from -the right to the left bank of the Potaro in this -reach, made a raft to ferry himself and his kit -over the river. When out in midstream, he -found to his horror that his punt-pole would not -touch bottom, and the raft began to drift in the -direction of the waterfall. The man did not hesitate -long, but, abandoning all his belongings, -threw himself into the river and, being a strong -swimmer, successfully reached the bank. So, in<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_90" id="Page_90">[90]</a></span> -order to avoid all such dangers, the landing-stage -for the Upper Potaro has been placed a couple of -miles above Kaietuk, at a point about thirty-five -minutes’ walk from Sprostons’ rest-house. For -the most part, the trail to this landing-place -traverses the rocky Kaietuk savannah, the only -patch of ground clear of forest on our whole journey -from the coast to the highlands; but for the -last fifteen minutes it goes through forest and -involves a troublesome scramble over tangled tree-roots, -resembling piles of giant “spillikens.” -The path emerges on the left bank of the Potaro -at a point where there is a small inlet, and where -all view of Kaietuk and its surroundings has already -been lost. Here were two boats, one being -a second “parson’s boat,” and the other belonging -to Mr. Menzies. Mr. Menzies’ boat is thirty -feet in length, built of silver-balli wood, very -handy and buoyant. It came up from Georgetown -in sections, and was screwed together by -Mr. Menzies with the help of two men in this -little cove, where it is safely moored even in flood-time. -The “parson’s boat,” on the other hand, -came up whole, and was many days in transit -from Tukeit. What a job hoisting it to Amen -Point must have been!</p> - -<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_91" id="Page_91">[91]</a></span></p> - -<p>We put six Indians into the “parson’s boat”; -the remaining eight, with Mr. Menzies, Haywood, -ourselves, and all our baggage, embarked -in the other. A tarpaulin shelter was stretched -amidships over a frame of bent boughs, to which -a hammock was slung for me. Mr. Menzies -steered, and had four paddlers with him in the -stern, while Haywood was bowman with four -more; and so we started off upstream on the -afternoon of the 26th December, 1915.</p> - -<p>The Potaro above Kaietuk is as calm and -peaceful as below Tukeit. Its reflections are so -wonderful that it is hard to distinguish the waterline, -where the foliage of the banks ends and its -mirrored reflection begins, while the deep blue -of the tropical sky shines yet brighter up from -the river’s heart than from overhead. Primeval -forest is unbroken on both banks, save occasionally -where patches of secondary jungle and -“congo-pump” suggest that in bygone days -there were Indian settlements on the banks, now -abandoned, probably for <i>kenaima</i> reasons. -Whenever a chief dies in an Indian village, the -people are apt to attribute any subsequent run of -bad luck to his <i>kenaima</i>, or spirit, and they -migrate from the place. Indeed, a village is<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_92" id="Page_92">[92]</a></span> -nearly always deserted for a short time after the -death of any important villager. There are also -whole districts besides the Kaietuk country into -which Indians will not go for fear of <i>kenaima</i>.</p> - -<p>We did not get far that day, as the men, who -had been droghing our stores from Tukeit to the -landing on the Upper Potaro, complained of -fatigue. So we made an early camp on the river-bank -at a place where the forest was “clean,” as -the bushmen express it—that is, without choking -undergrowth. Very soon we were most comfortably -established. A tarpaulin stretched over -a framework makes a nice roof; and we also had -tarpaulins hung on the two sides for the sake of -privacy, and another spread as a floor to keep our -feet dry. It is not the custom in this country -to use tents, so we had not brought ours. But -this was a mistake, for a tent can be rigged up as -easily as a tarpaulin, and it would have ensured -greater comfort and privacy. Moreover, on the -open savannahs a tent is needed as a protection -against wind and rain. Haywood built himself -a camp-fire, placing a stick horizontally on two -forked uprights and slinging pots on it above the -flames, just as the bushman does in Canada and -probably all the world over. Our fire and those<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_93" id="Page_93">[93]</a></span> -of the Indians lit up the damp forest glade and -made it look quite friendly, but an hour after -dusk torrents of rain fell, which speedily extinguished -the warm glow.</p> - -<p>Next morning we paddled steadily upstream, -halting only for an hour and a half at noon, when -we lunched. It was a very restful day. No rain -fell, but the sky was overcast until 3 p.m. Then -the sun broke through the clouds and lit up the -river with its perfect reflections most prettily. -We passed the mouths of several creeks emptying -into the Potaro, the largest being the -Amamuri, the Seebu, and the Ichirak, and from -our boat we could at times see the mountains in -which are the sources of the Ichirak and the Arnik -creeks. Above the mouth of the Ichirak the -Potaro becomes very winding, and there is a -place where two reaches are parallel, flowing in -opposite directions, so that Indians travelling in -woodskins make a portage over the neck of the -bend. We noticed frequent maipuri tracks on -both banks as well as on spits of sand, where the -animals come down to water; and occasionally -the river-edge turns to eta-swamp, where muscovy -duck are said to abide. We also saw several -divers, some beautiful white cranes, and a pair<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_94" id="Page_94">[94]</a></span> -of otters, so much interested in us that they kept -bobbing up close to the boat, trying to get a -better view. The trees on the Upper Potaro are -magnificent, and the forest looks friendly; -whereas the dense, suffocating, tropical jungles of -the lowlands give a horrible impression of hostile, -evil Nature.</p> - -<p>This night we camped at the mouth of the -Arnik on a small island round which the creek -flows into the Potaro. The ground is slightly -rising and makes a picturesque and comfortable -camping-place, with a view straight down the -main river. As usual, rain poured down all -night long, making us thankful that our tarpaulins -were waterproof.</p> - -<p>Next morning, after paddling an hour and a -half, we reached the watersmeet of the Potaro -and the Chenapowu creek. This is the limit of -navigation, for the Chenapowu is blocked by -<i>tacoubas</i> and cataracts, and the Potaro itself, a -short distance above Chenapowu, is impeded by -serious rapids. The river being low had been -favourable for our upstream journey, and we -covered the thirty miles from Kaietuk to Chenapowu -in ten and a half hours’ actual paddling. -River travel is, of course, always governed by the<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_95" id="Page_95">[95]</a></span> -state of the river; and Mr. Menzies told us that -once in time of abnormally high flood he made the -whole journey downstream from Chenapowu to -Kangaruma, a distance of fifty miles, between -sunrise and sunset. We, on our way back, there -being then about three feet more water in the -river than on our way up, paddled from Chenapowu -to Kaietuk in six and a half hours; but we -were far indeed from approaching Mr. Menzies’ -record. At Chenapowu several trails from the -highlands converge, and it was here that an old -Swedish gentleman, Dr. Carl Bovallius, some -years ago made a settlement which he called -Holmia. He cleared a hundred acres of land -and built himself a house, admirably situated on -a knoll overlooking the watersmeet of the Potaro -and Chenapowu, furnished his home with every -comfort, and began a trade in balata with the -Indians of the neighbourhood. Mr. Menzies -did the transport work for him, and by his direction -explored the forest trails to find a short-cut -to the highland savannahs. It was thus that he -found “Menzies’ Line,” which balata-laden -Indians could travel in two days, and which is -certainly a capital path from the Potaro to the -highlands. We ourselves travelled over it. Its<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_96" id="Page_96">[96]</a></span> -length was estimated by Dr. Bovallius’ foreman -to be thirty-two miles; but, as the track is now -interrupted by fallen trees, it must be somewhat -longer, for détours have to be made to avoid all -the bigger obstacles.</p> - -<p>It is unfortunate that Dr. Bovallius did not -come here as a younger man. He was over -seventy years of age when he began his enterprise; -and, though he lived to be seventy-eight, -yet time was lacking for him to establish his work -on firm foundations. When he died, the Indians -carried off everything that could possibly be -removed, and his entire clearing is now covered -by secondary growth and the horrible “congo-pump,” -which, bearing a ghastly resemblance to -rubber, grows habitually wherever a clearing in -the primeval forest has once been, and mocks at -abandoned human endeavour. We could, however, -still see traces of the roads and bridges -which Dr. Bovallius had made, and a small corrugated-iron -powder-store remains in good repair. -Of the house at Holmia nothing is left save the -four main posts and a few panes of glass scattered -on the ground.</p> - -<p>We approached Chenapowu in some anxiety, -for at this point we were to leave the waterways<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_97" id="Page_97">[97]</a></span> -and begin our long march overland; and it was -here that Mr. Menzies had instructed the Makusis -of the highlands to meet us as baggage-carriers. -He fully believed that the Makusis understood -and meant to execute his instructions, until, just -before we got there, Johnny of Puwa observed -casually that his people “Chenapowu side no -come.” Unfortunately, on arrival, we found -that Johnny had spoken but too truly, for at -Chenapowu we found no one but John Williams, -a tall Patamona, attired only in loin-cloth, knife, -and belt, who, with his wife and children, was -the sole inhabitant of Holmia. He came down -to our boat and insisted on shaking hands with -us, saying very firmly and politely, “How do -you do?” but he equally firmly said, “Me no -carry load.” In these depressing circumstances -the only thing to be done was to camp for the -time being on the site of Dr. Bovallius’ house. -We never discovered why the Makusis had failed -us; for, when we eventually reached the highlands, -they were all eagerly awaiting us and most -anxious to be of use; but it did not seem to have -occurred to them that their services would be -needed in the forest. Of course, explanations -with a people whose best interpreters understand<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_98" id="Page_98">[98]</a></span> -only a bare dozen words of the English language -and can speak but half as many are apt to miscarry. -Anyway, the Makusis were not there, -and we were faced by a forest trek of thirty odd -miles, with carriers insufficient to make the -attempt. It was a difficult and unpleasant position.</p> - -<p>As soon as the boats had been unloaded, and -camp made at Holmia, we sent off two Indians, -Robert and Hubbard by name, to Arnik village, -which in Dr. Bovallius’ time was some two and a -half hours’ walk from Holmia, and whence he -supplied himself with ground provisions. We -instructed these men to make great haste, and to -induce as many as possible of the men of Arnik to -return with them at once, bringing cassava for -the forest journey, and we hoped to make an -early start next day. Our stores were packed in -the powder-house, and we sat down to await the -arrival of the Arnik people with what patience we -could muster, by the help of Sir George Trevelyan’s -<i>Life and Letters of Lord Macaulay</i>. -Our camp, shut in by congo-pump and dense -secondary growth, was most unattractive. There -were no mosquitoes—indeed, we never saw mosquitoes -after Rockstone during our whole journey.<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_99" id="Page_99">[99]</a></span> -But other horrible insects, such as cow-flies, -sand-flies, and ticks, made life a burden. -The day dragged wearily by and night fell with -the usual heavy rain, but without any sign of the -Arnik people or of our messengers. Early next -morning Mr. and Mrs. John Williams called with -their two children. Mrs. Williams wore a bead -apron and had tattoo marks on her face and body. -They asked for sugar; but John had been so little -helpful that we did not feel in the mood to be -very generous with that precious commodity, and -consequently only gave a teaspoonful to each -child, whereupon the family, apparently offended, -disappeared into the forest and we saw them no -more. All day we waited for the men of Arnik -to arrive, but no one appeared; and when, as -daylight died, heavy rain again began to fall, and -we had finally to give up all hope of starting next -morning, we felt thoroughly depressed and -miserable. Before going to bed it was decided -that at dawn Mr. Menzies should make a start, -with all our Indians and as many loads as they -could carry; take them to Akrabanna creek, -where the trail to Arnik branches off from -“Menzies’ Line”; should there deposit the loads -at the junction of the trails, send the Indians back<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_100" id="Page_100">[100]</a></span> -to us to be ready for further service, and himself -go on to Arnik to ascertain the position. The -inroad being made on our food-supplies, without -our getting any nearer to the savannah plenty, -was beginning to cause us great anxiety.</p> - -<p>Next morning Mr. Menzies set off early, as -arranged, with all the Indians, leaving Haywood -as our only camp attendant. Haywood’s optimism -and cheerfulness were unfailing, but even -Macaulay failed to cheer <i>us</i> as the long hours -crawled by. Heavy rain fell at intervals, and, -imprisoned by sodden forest on all sides, the position -was certainly not enlivening. During some -hours we hoped that Mr. Menzies might return, -having met the men of Arnik in the way; but -we were disappointed, and</p> - -<div class="poetry-container"> -<div class="poetry"> -<div class="verse">The weary day dragged to its rest</div> -<div class="verse">Lingering like an unloved guest.</div> -</div> -</div> - -<p class="noindent">Late in the afternoon nine of the Indians returned -with a note from Mr. Menzies which informed us -that Arnik village had been shifted to a considerable -distance from its former site, but that he -was going thither with one man, leaving two to -guard the loads, and sending the others back to -us. He suggested that we should move to Akrabanna -next day, with as much of the baggage as<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_101" id="Page_101">[101]</a></span> -the nine men could carry, and meet him there. -This not very cheery epistle still comforted us -much, because it accounted for Amik’s delay, -and our spirits also rose at the prospect of moving -on. After an early supper we had gone to bed -with a bright camp-fire to cheer us, when we -heard a shout, and then beheld the joyful sight of -Mr. Menzies with a lamp, followed by Robert -and Hubbard and a line of seven men and three -women. As they filed past our tarpaulin, the -firelight gleaming upon their naked brown bodies, -I could have cried for joy. Mr. Menzies had -met the men of Arnik on the trail before he -reached the site of their new village; and it -appeared that Robert and Hubbard had got there -on the night of the day they left us, but had -found all the men away hunting. A day had -been spent in palaver and in making cassava for -the journey, and therefore not until the morning -of the third day did such hunters as had returned -set out with our messengers for Holmia. With -anxiety much relieved, we calmed our emotions -and went to sleep. Heavy rain fell all night.</p> - -<p>We struck camp early in the morning of the -31st December, 1915, and a walk of twenty -minutes up the left bank of the Chenapowu creek<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_102" id="Page_102">[102]</a></span> -brought us to the point where the Tumong trail -branches off to the west. All previous travellers -to Mount Roraima, <i>via</i> the Potaro, had gone -by the Tumong trail; and, according to their -accounts, it is by no means a good one. But we -continued along the Chenapowu, and after -another fifteen minutes forded the Wong creek, -its tributary, while a further quarter of an hour -brought us to the point where the Chenapowu -creek itself is spanned by two <i>tacoubas</i>, for crossing -at low water and at high water respectively. -The silver-sand bottoms of these creeks contrast -prettily with the deep amber bush water. Thence -an ascent over a couple of low hillocks brought us -after a walk of one hour and seventeen minutes -from Holmia to a clearing on a bracken-covered -sand-hill above the right bank of the Akrabanna -creek, where there had once been a Patamona -village, and where now the line to Arnik branches -off eastwards from our trail. The Akrabanna -falls into the Chenapowu, which latter creek, -though invisible in the dense forest, continued on -our right hand, until we saw it again five hours’ -march farther on at its watersmeet with the -Sirani-baru creek.</p> - -<p>It was delightful to be up and doing, and we<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_103" id="Page_103">[103]</a></span> -enjoyed our walk to Akrabanna very much. On -Mr. Menzies’ recommendation, we had equipped -ourselves with rubber sole canvas boots, and we -found them most comfortable and practicable. -Our feet were always getting wet, since we had -constantly to wade across streams, but canvas -dries quickly without getting stiff, and the rubber -sole is a great safeguard against slipping. Moreover, -it is possible to feel through it the nature -of the ground underfoot, and whether it is likely -to bear one or not. Forest trails are a mass of -tangled roots covered by deceptive layers of fallen -leaves, and one must, therefore, concentrate one’s -attention upon one’s feet. To glance up even -for half a minute, without first standing still, -invariably results in a stumble or in goring the -feet upon some spiky stump; but the path is -springy underfoot, and it is possible to walk -long hours without fatigue. Nevertheless, the -monotony of forest trek is extreme. Generally -you cannot see twenty yards in front of you. -Indians walk so silently that sometimes the long -file of carriers appears noiselessly and suddenly -at one’s side, when one had perhaps believed them -to be some distance behind. They do not speak -on the line of march, and they move their feet<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_104" id="Page_104">[104]</a></span> -very carefully, seldom cutting them. We soon -became quite adept ourselves at walking quickly -without stumbling, and at clambering over the -fallen trees that barred our progress every few -yards. It would not, I think, be possible for a -woman to negotiate these trails in a skirt, for not -only would it hamper her greatly in surmounting -the continual obstacles, but it would at once -become sodden with water from the dripping -trees and bushes, and from the perpetual fording -of streams, when water often rises nearly to the -knees. I wore knickerbockers and puttees, and -found myself able to move very quickly and -easily.</p> - -<p>We lunched at Akrabanna and considered the -situation, which was not particularly reassuring. -We could reckon on but seven carriers from -Arnik, for the three women had only come sightseeing -and were about to return to their homes, -each one having an infant with her. They were -neat, squat little people, attired only in the bead -<i>queyu</i>, or apron, and carrying their children on -the hip. We had, therefore, only twenty-one -carriers all told, and of these the nine Demerara -River men were totally inefficient. Not a cheerful -outlook! So we reluctantly resolved that it<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_105" id="Page_105">[105]</a></span> -would not be advisable to travel that day beyond -the Akrabanna camping-ground, some thirty -minutes farther on, where we would open all the -boxes containing stores and pack the contents in -quakes, thus appreciably lightening the loads. -Having come to this decision, we descended to -the Akrabanna creek, which is wide and crossed -by a primitive bridge in the shape of an enormous -tree lying athwart the stream. This <i>tacouba</i> -was rather slippery, but rubber soles steadied our -feet, and we crossed it and many others without -mishap. After that, we ascended some distance -up a sharp incline and chose a very nice camping-ground. -We found a level floor for our tarpaulin, -while the steep slope below promised -good drainage. The trees around were magnificent, -and the rare sunshine made all look charming. -Bell-birds, giving thanks for the fine -weather, sounded their musical “ding-dong” -everywhere.</p> - -<p>After establishing ourselves with all our comforts -about us and a good fire burning, we wandered -downhill to look at the rest of the camp, -which was made some distance below us. We -saw the seven men of Arnik busily engaged on -making quakes out of split palm-stalks, having<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_106" id="Page_106">[106]</a></span> -already thatched themselves a little palm-leaf -<i>banaboo</i>. They were fine, strongly-built fellows, -destitute of clothing save a loin-cloth, but their -skins are so nice and red that their whole effect -is eminently in keeping with their surroundings. -They have also a fine native dignity about them. -On they went with their quake-making, cooking, -etc., without troubling themselves at all about -us as we stood watching their extraordinarily dexterous -fingers, and they talked, cracked jokes, -and told stories among themselves like a gay -dinner-party at some club. No word of English -could they speak, save their names, which were -Samuel, George, Austin, William, etc. Our -“civilized” Indians were mostly lounging in -hammocks. This sort of droghing was not what -they liked at all. After surveying the loads, we -realized that some stuff must be left behind, and -we decided to leave to their fate our two side-tarpaulins, -in future using our carpet as a wind-break -or screen when needed, and also to desert a -couple of tins of salt which we carried as barter. -Money was no more use once the Potaro-Konawaruk -Road was behind us. Then we dined -under our tarpaulin, that good fellow Haywood -making nothing of running up and down the hill<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_107" id="Page_107">[107]</a></span> -between us and his “kitchen” with the viands. -We had for supper soup, rice, and potatoes, with -fried sausage, tea, bread and jam. Our bread -lasted very well in a tin till we were on the savannahs -and could obtain cassava. We went to -sleep with a bright fire burning, and very snug in -our blankets. There was tremendous rainfall as -usual all night.</p> - -<p>New Year’s Day also began with rain; and, -after some delay in redistributing loads, we set -off, following two of our men, appropriately -named Moses and Aaron, through the wilderness, -whilst Mr. Menzies came behind with the rest. -From the Akrabanna to the Sirani-baru our trail -crossed no water at all, save two small brooks, -both of which are within half an hour’s walk of -the watersmeet of the Chenapowu and Sirani-baru. -The path runs for two and a quarter -hours’ march dead level along a plateau, sometimes -narrowing to a ridge, which, we assumed, -must divide the valley of the Chenapowu on the -west from that of the Akrabanna on the east. -At the northern end of this plateau there is a -stiff climb of 1,200 feet by terraced ascents from -the Akrabanna, taking one hour and forty-six -minutes, while at the southern end there is an<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_108" id="Page_108">[108]</a></span> -easy descent of 800 feet, which lasts sixty-five -minutes. The trail was very indistinct, and once -or twice we lost it for a few minutes; for Indians -are content to mark trails by merely breaking an -occasional twig, and it is extremely easy to stray -from the right line—in fact, one is bound to do -so, unless an Indian guide is immediately ahead. -We marched, of course, always in single file, -one behind the other, looking warily at our feet -and requiring all our energies for laborious -scrambles over huge fallen trees and their ramification -of branches. It was but rarely that anyone -spoke, and our party of twenty-five souls -scarcely broke the oppressive weight of silence -that broods over the sombre forest depths, though -sometimes birds, alarmed by the sight of us, sent -shrill cries of warning through the tree-tops. In -one place we crossed a deep fissure in the ground, -resembling that of which I have spoken near the -Kaietuk rest-house. No rain fell in the afternoon, -but the dripping forest kept us very wet.</p> - -<p>Our progress was slow on account of our lagging -droghers, and we had to halt at the first of -the two brooks between Akrabanna and Sirani-baru. -The place looked an unpromising camping-ground; -but it is wonderful how quickly the<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_109" id="Page_109">[109]</a></span> -most desolate glade of rain-soaked forest assumes -a snug and comfortable air when man has pitched -his bivouac there. On this occasion, the ground -being utterly sodden, we placed our spare tarpaulin -on the ground, and caused the Indians to -build us a side-screen of palm-leaves. Our -excellent roof tarpaulin (twenty feet by fourteen -feet) was soon spread; then our two camp-beds -with their equipment of blankets, blue pillows, -and mosquito-nets, our table and three chairs, -lunch-basket with cups, spoons, plates, knives, -etc., and my husband’s prismatic compass, boiling-point -thermometer, and aneroid barometer, -all combined to make the place look quite civilized -and home-like. Mr. Menzies had a smaller -tarpaulin, under which he slung his hammock and -sheltered the baggage, whilst the Indians speedily -rigged themselves up leaf-thatched <i>benabs</i>. -Then, with a dozen fires burning all around, the -whole aspect of the place changed in a twinkling.</p> - -<p>Soon after we had made camp a few cheery -sunbeams found their way down to us. In the -forest sunlight falls like a most precious but sparingly-scattered -largesse. Haywood provided us -for supper with an excellent creole soup, piping -hot, made of onions, potatoes, and salt pork. It<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_110" id="Page_110">[110]</a></span> -was very welcome in the chilly damp, and we did -it ample justice. Of course, there was a downpour -all night.</p> - -<p>There was also rain at dawn of the following -morning, and showers alternated with sunshine -during the whole day. We soon found ourselves -at the edge of the Sirani-baru, within a few yards -of its confluence with the Chenapowu creek. -This is halfway-house between Holmia and the -highland savannahs. We crossed the creek by -means of a huge <i>tacouba</i>, and the trail ascended -sharply on the other side. Ten minutes later -Thomas shot a marm, and announced triumphantly, -“Marmu for Mamma.” The Indians -always called me “Mamma” and my husband -“Pappa.” We plucked the bird on the spot, -and then continued our march. When the -Sirani-baru has been crossed, a very short ascent -of 200 feet again takes the trail on to a level -plateau, which continues until the path drops -slightly to recross the Sirani-baru near its head -after close upon three hours’ march, and that was -all we achieved during the day owing to our laggard -droghers. We were, in effect, making our -way round the spur of Mount Kowatipu, which -stood at our right hand; but nothing could be<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_111" id="Page_111">[111]</a></span> -seen of the mountain, and the only object of -interest during the day’s march was a deep -excavation at the side of the trail. It may possibly -have been made for gold, but it might -equally well be natural.</p> - -<p>Our Demerara River men were now very sulky, -but the Arnik boys were as good as gold, and -appeared to enjoy life. We took much interest -in watching them. Primitive man is wonderfully -neat and dexterous. He seems to be able -to fashion a leaf or a twig to his will, be it spoon -or basket or house that he wants; and it is touching -to see him hold a palm-leaf carefully over his -head to serve as an umbrella, or pick a large leaf -to squat upon; for his primitive mamma has evidently -taught him not to sit on damp ground. -When missionaries or traders introduce clothes, -the Indians soon suffer in health; for it never -occurs to them to take their garments off, and -they wear their sodden raiment day and night -till they die of pneumonia. You cannot keep -dry in the bush; and, as an American once -observed to Mr. Menzies, while prospecting for -gold with him in the forest: “In this place your -shirt is sopping wet in two seconds, and three -months won’t dry it.” Rain fell heavily all the<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_112" id="Page_112">[112]</a></span> -time while camp was being made, and also most -of the evening and night.</p> - -<p>Next day we started in a downpour, and were -instantly soaked to the skin. A climb of twenty-four -minutes brought us on to the crest of the -divide which, sloping down from Mount Kowatipu, -forms at this point the water-parting between the -Essequebo and the Amazon, 2,520 feet above sea-level. -Here on a hill-saddle is a little swamp, out -of which two tiny streams trickle in opposite -directions, thus marking the divide. Thereafter -the trail runs almost level for one hour twelve -minutes to the point where the path over Nose -Mountain from Arnik comes in from the east. -After that you descend for twenty-six minutes -and cross on stepping-stones the Huri creek -(2,090 feet above sea-level), a tributary of the -Yawong, which falls into the Kowa, and so feeds -the Ireng and the Amazon. Next follows a -steady and at times a steep ascent along undulating -hill-ridges, narrowing in places to a knife-edge, -until after one and three-quarter hours’ -march from Huri creek the trail emerges from -the forest into the Baramaku savannah at a height -of 2,680 feet above sea-level. The character of -the forest towards the end was quite different, -and we had to push our way through tall bamboo -grass and among thickets of small trees before we -at last came out into the sunshine of lovely Baramaku-toy. -“Toy” means “savannah” or open -country in the language of the local Indians. I -wonder if anyone can imagine the ecstasy it was -to us rain-sodden, half-drowned rats who had not -seen clear sky for seven long days to find ourselves -out of the dark, gloomy twilight of the -forest, standing in the scented flower-starred -grass, able to look over long views of distant tiers -of hills into the fading blue distance, whilst glowing -sunshine warmed us through, and the most -delicious, cool and fragrant breezes blew in our -faces. Welcome seemed to smile from every -blade of grass in that enchanting little place.</p> - -<div class="figcenter" style="width: 700px;"> -<img id="illus7" src="images/illus7.jpg" width="700" height="400" alt="" /> -<p class="caption"><span class="smcap">Baramaku Savannah.</span></p> -<p class="caption-r"><a href="#Page_113">To face page 113.</a></p> -</div> - -<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_113" id="Page_113">[113]</a></span></p> - -<p>The whole march through the forest between -Holmia and Baramaku-toy can be done, and was -done by us on our return journey, in fourteen -hours and twenty-six minutes. My husband -estimated our average rate of progress at two and -a half miles an hour; and the length of the trail in -all its windings would therefore be some thirty-six -miles. On the outward journey this march -through the forest occupied sixteen and a half -hours, and was spread over four tedious days,<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_114" id="Page_114">[114]</a></span> -because of the inefficiency of our Demerara River -droghers. The gradients of the route are shown -in the diagram (p. 237), drawn by my husband.</p> - -<p>At Baramaku-toy our forest trek ended, and -we never again spent a whole day in the forest -during the remainder of our journey to Roraima, -although frequently we passed through belts of -woodland fringing a river course between one -savannah and the next. The British Guiana -jungle is certainly a place where you cannot see -the wood for the trees. The effort of getting -along quickly without catching your feet absorbs -the attention, and I am afraid that I have laid -much emphasis on the damp and gloom. Nevertheless, -the magnificence of some of the forest -giants induced us often to stand still and marvel. -The mora-trees, in particular, grew to a great -height, and their trunks, when a few feet from -the ground, spread out ribs of twisted wood like -bastions all round them. When they lie fallen, -you are astonished to see how short a depth the -foundations of the monster penetrated into the -soil. We saw no orchids in flower in the forest, -but orchidaceous parasites grow everywhere on -bush and stone, and send out fibres to suck moisture -from the earth. Even those perched on the<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_115" id="Page_115">[115]</a></span> -tops of mighty trees, more than a hundred feet -above the ground, drop down these little, thirsty, -fibrous mouths. Occasionally we noticed brilliant -blossoms lying at our feet, fallen from some -creeper, stretching itself in light and air over the -tree-tops; and at one point we picked up and -enjoyed some delicious <i>suwarri</i> nuts. But, taken -as a whole, primeval tropical forest is a hostile -thing. It can harbour no fairies, though there -might be demons and goblins. To be alone even -for a minute in the jungle is alarming, for such is -the profound silence all around that one has a -terrifying sense of being inimically watched by -unseen things, and I can imagine nothing worse -than to be lost in the bush.</p> - -<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_116" id="Page_116">[116]</a></span></p> - -<hr /> - -<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_117" id="Page_117">[117]</a></span></p> - -<h2 id="CHAPTER_VII">THE HIGHLAND SAVANNAHS OF BRITISH GUIANA</h2> - -<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_118" id="Page_118">[118]</a></span></p> - -<hr /> - -<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_119" id="Page_119">[119]</a></span></p> - -<h3>CHAPTER VII<br /> -<span class="smaller">THE HIGHLAND SAVANNAHS OF -BRITISH GUIANA</span></h3> - -<div class="poetry-container"> -<div class="poetry"> -<div class="verse indent6">The shining tablelands,</div> -<div class="verse">To which our God Himself is moon and sun.</div> -<div class="verse right"><i>Tennyson</i>: <i>Ode on the Death of the Duke of Wellington</i>.</div> -</div> -</div> - -<p>By contrast with the forest, the Baramaku savannah -seemed fairyland. It looks like an English -park: smiling slopes of grass with here and there -a clump of bracken or a cluster of trees; undulating -knolls and dells, and a delicious little brook -at its far end. Its area is between three and four -square miles, and it is situated about 2,700 feet -above sea-level. We walked right across it and -pitched camp near the brook. A tarpaulin -shelter was quickly made, and we changed luxuriously -into dry clothes, after which Haywood produced -excellent tea almost at once. In spite of -all the drenchings of the last week, my husband -and I were in better health and spirits than at our -departure from Georgetown. The cool of the -forest had been invigorating, and the sole evil -result of the ceaseless damp was rheumatism in<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_120" id="Page_120">[120]</a></span> -my shoulder, which disappeared after two days -of the savannah sunshine and dry air.</p> - -<p>But the setting of Baramaku-toy is far from -English, for all around this little Eden looms the -dark tropical forest, while to the north cliff-faced, -forest-crowned Kowatipu glowered at us from -among his rain-clouds some ten miles away. He -rises a thousand feet or more above the sea of -forest, a rectangular plateau edged by precipices, -true to the Roraima <i>leit-motif</i>. He is the magnet -for all the rain of the neighbourhood, and is -generally wrapped in forbidding cloud. But as -we gazed at him for a few minutes from Baramaku-toy, -he stood out clear and grand, until -once more he wreathed his head in mist, while -rain fell about his feet. We watched, rejoicing -in our escape, when, as it were, he shook his fist -at us by sending an ugly black cloud straight for -us. I ran to the shelter of the tarpaulin, having -no mind to get my nice dry clothes soaked again. -But it was only an impotent threat. He could -not touch us in Baramaku’s charmed keeping, -and the cloud drifted off on to the forest-clad hills -near by, whilst the thrushes sang on undisturbedly -and we basked in the sunshine, lying -in the lush grass with no <i>bête rouge</i> to annoy us<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_121" id="Page_121">[121]</a></span> -and fanned by cool breezes. The air had a delicious -mountain nip in it, the thermometer at -5 p.m. being only 69° F. The night was quite -cold, and I was glad of three blankets. Here -we slept without mosquito nets, untroubled by -insects. No one at present inhabits this savannah, -but there are the remains of a deserted -banaboo; and the spot, when made less difficult -of access, would be a charming little country property. -It has pasturage suitable for horses and -cattle, with plenty of room available for pleasure-grounds -and park-land, as well as for a kitchen-garden -and poultry-farm. Within a short time -a family established here would make itself almost -independent of supplies from the coast.</p> - -<p>After our usual breakfast of porridge and -coffee, we set off next morning, having first been -taken by Mr. Menzies to look at a little meadow -sprinkled underneath its grass with water-worn -pebbles. He said that he had once prospected -this place for diamonds, and thought it showed -good promise, but could not go on with the work -for lack of dynamite. He had found some -ancient beads in the ground, of a kind not now used -by the aborigines, and concluded that the place -had been an Indian settlement in bygone days.</p> - -<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_122" id="Page_122">[122]</a></span></p> - -<p>Crossing the brook which bounds the Baramaku -savannah, our trail plunged again into forest, and -ran uphill and down-dale over a number of small -rills that drain northwards into the Kowa River, -until, after a hot, dull walk of about five and a half -miles, we reached the Quaibaru savannah. Ten -minutes before emerging from the forest we came -upon a stream with provision-fields on its banks, -where cassava, yams, bananas, and plantains grew -plentifully; and here our droghers washed themselves, -brushed their hair, and titivated generally, -preparatory to a state entry into Quaibaru village, -whilst one of their number sounded a cow-horn -to announce our approach. We could see -that we were expected by the fact that the path -had been carefully and recently cleaned for us.</p> - -<p>The savannah of Quaibaru is not nearly so picturesque -as that of Baramaku, but it occupies a -commanding position high above the left bank of -the Kowa valley. As the forest veil falls, you -step out on to the ridge of a grassy hill, whereon -are perched three banaboos, one on the hill-top -(2,550 feet above sea-level), the two others in -<i>échelon</i> lower down the ridge. Then come in -succession two narrow savannah valleys, divided -by two more savannah ridges, on which also are<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_123" id="Page_123">[123]</a></span> -banaboos. The houses of the savannah Indians -are, as a rule, circular, about thirty feet in -diameter, and they accommodate a large number -of people and dogs. The walls are of mud, about -four feet high, and the thatch slopes up sharply -to a high pointed top, so that inside there is a sort -of upper story, where provisions can be stored out -of the way of the starving curs who abound in -every village. The houses are only lighted by -the doorway, and are, therefore, very gloomy -within, the reason for this being that the pest of -the savannahs, the biting kabouru-fly, never -enters a dark place. The doorways generally -face north-east, so as to get all the breeze possible, -the wind blowing almost as steadily from -that quarter over the savannah as it does on the -coast.</p> - -<p>We had anticipated much delay at Quaibaru, -for we feared that our droghers, after short rations -in the forest, would insist on celebrating their -arrival in inhabited country by a feast. Luckily -for us, the Quaibaru folk, who are Patamonas, -were not in a hospitable frame of mind towards -our convoy, though friendly enough to us. They -declared that they had no cassiri and scarcely any -cassava, so that our men were soon anxious to<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_124" id="Page_124">[124]</a></span> -leave. Accordingly we made and ate our breakfast -beside a stream in the first Quaibaru valley, a -shadeless and uncomfortable place, where the -Quaibaruvians brought us some excellent bananas, -a limited supply of hard cassava—“wood-bread,” -Mr. Menzies called it—and a bucketful of limes. -Mr. Menzies had given the villagers some limes -to plant a few years ago, and the trees had done -extremely well. The limes were welcome, as the -stock we had brought up from Potaro Landing -was nearly exhausted. The villagers also undertook -to fetch up for us the salt which we had left -behind at Akrabanna, and to bring it after us to -Puwa.</p> - -<p>After a short midday halt we pushed on, winding -in and out of the little Quaibaru valleys under -a blazing sun; but a fresh breeze saved the situation. -From a hill-ridge before descending a very -steep forest slope to the Kowa River, we caught -our first view of the big savannah, rising as a -shining tableland high up behind smaller tree-clad -hills on the other side of the river. It was a sight -for sore eyes, and looked a veritable “Land of -Promise.” An Indian trail always goes bang up -the side of a hill in a straight line, and bang down -the other side, with no thought of gradient or of<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_125" id="Page_125">[125]</a></span> -avoiding unnecessary exertion, so down we had -to go, sliding perpendicularly to the Kowa, hanging -on to handy trees as we passed, and more -than once taking an involuntary seat. We -crossed the Kowa on a <i>tacouba</i>, just awash with -the stream; and after a short rest and cool down, -the process assisted by a limade, we went on -through a forest of luxuriant wild papaw and -banana for some distance. Our path then turned -sharply out of the Kowa valley and proceeded to -ascend a hill very nearly as steep as a house in a -bee-line upwards. It was a bit of a scramble, -and the stiffest climb we had had since the ascent -to Kaietuk, the last part being a dry watercourse. -Once on top, the forest dropped away. We had -a superb view back over the Kowa to Quaibaru-toy, -and we could just see a savannah hill with a -tuft of trees on it away behind the Quaibaru -forest. It was Baramaku-toy standing a-tiptoe -to see the last of us. Kowatipu would have been -in sight had he not been characteristically concealed -in a rain-cloud. We sat down to admire -the glorious breadth of landscape, hoping also to -see our carriers emerge from the bush, for we -were somewhat anxious to know how the -Demerara River men would negotiate the hill.<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_126" id="Page_126">[126]</a></span> -Haywood, who always kept up well, arrived -almost as soon as we did, and inquired exultingly -whether “Madam don’t think this country worth -the walk.” I said, “Indeed I did.”</p> - -<p>Haywood always carried his possessions in a -bag upon his head, and managed most skilfully to -look after his feet without upsetting his balance. -Indians carry their loads on their backs, with a -strap over each shoulder and a third strap across -the forehead. Their hands are thus free, though -Haywood always gave each drogher of our party -some additional etcetera, such as a saucepan, -lamp, or a teapot. I used often to wish I could -sketch the oddness of a pair of extremely stalwart, -naked, red legs, surmounted by a mighty bundle, -trotting along in front of me, naught else of the -man being visible save a pair of hands carefully -conveying some absurdly civilized object, like a -teapot or a kerosene lamp!</p> - -<p>In days to come it is to be hoped that one of -the main roads of British Guiana may lead up to -this plateau; and, when the time is at hand for -building such a road, its trace will probably be -carried from the watershed of the Sirani-baru into -the Kowa valley by easy gradients, and thence -round hill contours, without ascending the Baramaku<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_127" id="Page_127">[127]</a></span> -or Quaibaru savannahs up to the high-level -tableland. But the existing trail could with a few -détours at small expense be made into a bridle -track suitable for pack animals and for cattle; -and if this were done the savannah highlands, -which are to-day within nineteen hours’ march -from the Potaro at Chenapowu, would be made -economically and speedily accessible. A launch -would place Chenapowu within two hours of -Kaietuk, and a motor road would bring Kaietuk -within a day’s journey of Bartika. It would then -be a matter of no difficulty and small expense to -travel up or down between the highland savannahs -and the coast in three or four days.</p> - -<p>We got tired of waiting for our laggard carriers, -took tea, and started off again. The trail -now went once more into the bush for a few -minutes, up and down one more hill, and then -emerged into savannah for good. The sun was -very hot and shone straight in our eyes; but the -glorious air prevented fatigue, for every breath -of it was like a draught of strength. Our path -ran fairly level through high grass; but, like all -Indian trails, it was uncomfortably narrow, as the -Indians put their feet down one immediately in -front of the other. The hills above the right<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_128" id="Page_128">[128]</a></span> -bank of the Kowa, below the point where we -crossed it, form a grassy tableland with high -savannah crests; and, passing through a col -between two such crests, we debouched after -two and three-quarter hours’ actual marching -from Quaibaru-toy on the magnificent plateau -which forms part of Mr. Menzies’ ranch. The -path dipped down to the deep pool of a stream, -near a waving fringe of high bamboo. To the -right rose a low tree-clad hill, and at its foot we -camped in a banaboo built by Mr. Menzies near -the northern boundary of his grazing land close -to Karto village.</p> - -<div class="figcenter" style="width: 700px;"> -<img id="illus8" src="images/illus8.jpg" width="700" height="500" alt="" /> -<p class="caption"><span class="smcap">Mount Kowatipu from the Karto Tableland.</span></p> -<p class="caption-r"><a href="#Page_128">To face page 128.</a></p> -</div> - -<p>Towards sunset my husband and I went up a -neighbouring knoll to take observations. The -view over the lovely rolling plain, with its smiling -valleys, was entrancing, and old Kowatipu -actually put his head, rather crossly, out of his -cloud for a few seconds. The Karto tableland is -a flat, grassy plateau some 2,400 feet above sea-level. -It is bounded on the east by the Kowa -River; on the north-west and south-west by the -Chiung River, both flowing in rifts far below the -plateau level; on the south-east and north by hills -which divide the Kowa from the Chiung valley. -Its extreme length from north to south is about<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_129" id="Page_129">[129]</a></span> -seven miles, and its extreme width from east to -west is some eight miles. Its area is roughly fifty -square miles; and the distance across the plateau -by our trail, which ran in a tolerably straight line, -my husband estimated at five miles. The whole -tableland forms an excellent grazing-ground; and, -although there was at the time of our visit no -water on the central part of the plateau, there -were many streams at its edges, falling into the -Kowa and the Chiung, while across it ran a few -dry channels, which are, no doubt, full of water -in the rainy season. The Indian village, named -Karto, stands at the north-west corner of the -plateau, not far from Mr. Menzies’ banaboo. Its -provision-fields are partly in the tree-clad hills, -fringing the plateau to the north, and partly -down in the fertile Kowa valley near the point -of our crossing. We saw no cattle on the tableland; -but the Karto villagers told us that there -was a herd on some very attractive-looking pasture-grounds -near the head of the Chiung River. -For it must be understood that the highlands suitable -for grazing are by no means confined to the -tableland which we crossed, and from which we -could see the savannahs round the upper reaches -of the Chiung only a little below our level, while<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_130" id="Page_130">[130]</a></span> -across the valley of the Chiung, lower in its -course, we looked up to a yet higher, and apparently -not less extensive, savannah plateau. These -attractive and spacious highlands deserve to be -developed, and would support a considerable -population. They would, as it is, make an -admirable hill-station. The scenery is beautiful. -The climate at the season of our visit was delightful. -The locality could be made easily and -cheaply accessible from Georgetown, and would, -I venture to think, prove much superior as a -health resort to the West India Islands.</p> - -<p>We did not see Mount Roraima from the -Karto tableland; but I do not doubt that from -one or other of the savannah hills which surround -that plateau it would be possible to see Roraima, -if by fortunate coincidence one reached the -proper point of observation at a time when the -mountain was free from cloud; for on our way -back we saw Roraima from many hill-tops, and -even from valleys, which on the way out vouchsafed -us no such view. We did, however, from -Karto get our first sight of Mount Chakbang, -standing out conspicuously far away to the west, -a rugged finger pointing to the sky, and the -mountains of Mataruka were plainly visible.</p> - -<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_131" id="Page_131">[131]</a></span></p> - -<p>We awoke next morning to find a slight drizzle -falling, but it soon cleared off into a brilliantly -sunny day. All the Karto people came to see us—men, -women and children, dogs and waracabra. -Indians are very fond of tame birds, but do not -keep them in cages. They fly about as they like. -These villagers were Makusis, and appeared very -friendly. Our droghers were revived and gay, -having had overnight a feast of cassava and cassiri. -Cassiri, which is a drink made from cassava, -has a magical effect on these people. It seems to -cheer without inebriating—in fact, it has rather -the effect which a cup of good tea or coffee has -on a tired European.</p> - -<p>Our road for a couple of hours now lay over the -glorious grass plateau which forms part of Mr. -Menzies’ ranch. Walking was perfectly delightful -in that exhilarating highland air. We had -enchanting views of blue distance in all directions. -Far on our left the tableland was bounded by the -rift of the Kowa River, beyond which rolling -forest-clad hills faded into the horizon, whilst -nearer to the right the head-waters of the Chiung -River wound away among green savannah mountains, -in the knees of which lay little rounded terraces -and small gulleys, studded with eta-palm.<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_132" id="Page_132">[132]</a></span> -These hills form another tableland about five hundred -feet higher than the one which we traversed, -and would probably be a good country for sheep. -None of these smiling, healthy highlands are -marked on the Colony’s maps, and their very -existence has, in the past, been steadfastly denied.</p> - -<p>Mount Mataruka lay south-west of us, almost -in a straight line with our path; but, although we -ultimately climbed over its shoulder, our route -first made a wide détour, taking us to Puwa village. -From the south-west end of Mr. Menzies’ -tableland we descended some seven hundred feet -in half an hour to a narrow gorge, where four -streams, falling in picturesque cascades from the -plateau, converge to form the Kowyann, a -tributary of the Chiung. From this point the -Makusis had opened a bridle track for us through -the small forest belts which separate the wide -stretches of savannah; and we could have ridden -on horseback the rest of the way to the Ireng but -for the fact that, owing to a misunderstanding -between the chief at Mataruka and a chief in the -Kotinga valley, where the horses were, “shanks -his mare” had still to be our mount. We breakfasted -beside the Kowyann, and then took our -way down its valley, steep grassy hills rising on<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_133" id="Page_133">[133]</a></span> -either side of us. We travelled alternately -through little savannahs, whose long waving grass -and crooked trees, pretending to be apple-trees, -had a queer resemblance to an English orchard, -and through patches of woodland. The shade in -these little forest belts was very grateful, as the -sun was extremely hot. A march of one and a -quarter hours down the Kowyann valley brought -us to Chiung village, where we spent the night.</p> - -<p>This village stands on the left bank of the -Chiung River, and here a large gathering of -Makusis had assembled. They seemed very -pleased to see us, and explained that they had cut -a broad trail all the way to Puwa. They also provided -an abundance of cassava and cassiri for our -droghers. The village consisted of two houses, -with a third unfinished one, which was being -erected for us. The frame was all in place, the -wooden bars tied neatly together with bark-fibre, -according to Indian fashion, for these people do -not use any form of nail. The roof of our house -was only partly thatched, and the sides were all -open, a fortunate circumstance, as it was very hot -in the enclosed valley. We used our tarpaulin to -screen ourselves off from the rest of the village, -which was about fifty yards away, and at night we<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_134" id="Page_134">[134]</a></span> -enjoyed the brilliant stars, looking down upon us. -We placed our beds immediately under the small -portion of thatch which had been completed, for -the excessively heavy dew of the savannahs makes -it unpleasant to sleep entirely <i>à la belle étoile</i>. -Until darkness fell we were much troubled by the -biting kabouru-flies, which are slightly larger than -the ordinary sand-flies. Their bite is much more -irritating, and raises a red lump with a black spot -in the centre. Though the lump soon dies down, -the black speck remains for several days. I -defended myself from the kabouru with a dark -veil and gloves, but my husband and Mr. -Menzies were soon sorry objects. The savannah -Indians appear to suffer little, if any, irritation -from the bites of kabouru, but the poor fellows -from Arnik and from the Demerara River, being -unaccustomed to this pest, which is not known in -the forests, were very much afflicted. In the -highland savannahs kabouru-flies are generally -found near water, and the larger the stream the -worse the kabouru; so we had to pay for our close -proximity to the Chiung River, which flowed -with a delicious gurgling noise close to our banaboo. -During the night Mr. Menzies’ quarters -were invaded by a raiding dog, who carried off<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_135" id="Page_135">[135]</a></span> -our excellent ham. This would have been a -serious business had we not been approaching -Puwa, the “Land of Plenty” as far as food is -concerned.</p> - -<p>Next morning (6th January) we left Chiung -village at dawn with a large convoy, for all the -village, including women and babies, came with -us. Ten minutes after our start we forded the -Chiung River, an operation which took another -ten minutes and was great fun. The water, -deliciously cold, rose to my knees. But very -little walking in that savannah air soon dries one -again completely, a delightful contrast to the -bush!</p> - -<p>The path we followed from Chiung to Puwa -was nothing more than a big circuit round a hill. -We should have preferred a short-cut over the -summit; but the Indians having prepared a level -track for us with much care along the valleys, we -felt that it would be ungrateful not to take their -line. This track ran through a thick belt of -forest, fringing the banks of the Chiung; and the -Makusis had most carefully straightened and -cleared the forest path to a width of six to ten -feet, removing most of the tree-stumps, while in -places they had actually swept the ground clean<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_136" id="Page_136">[136]</a></span> -of fallen leaves. The job must have given them -a great deal of trouble, for the trees, though small, -were of hardwood varieties, such as purple-heart -and letter-wood, and the road-makers were justly -proud of their work. We were two hours in this -forest, but I was walking slowly, being tired by -the unaccustomed exposure to sun during the two -preceding days. Then the trail again emerged -into savannah, having left the river, which winds -away to the left round some hills that we crossed -over a low col (1,550 feet above sea-level).</p> - -<p>We now found ourselves in the Ireng valley, -though at some distance from the river, and we -halted for breakfast in the little belt of forest -beside a small brook. Here we discovered that -we were an enormous party, for half Puwa village, -including Johnny’s wife and sons, had come out -to meet us. The Makusis, as young men, are -extremely handsome and well-made, full of life -and movement. Johnny’s sons it was a treat to -see, the eldest especially, a lad of about fifteen. -He wore only a loin-cloth and necklace, with -bracelets of beads, carried a bow and arrows, and -simply flew about the place—never walked, but -he ran, and every movement was as graceful as -a cat’s. Then there was a dear little fellow about<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_137" id="Page_137">[137]</a></span> -six, Edward by name, who greeted Haywood -most affectionately, and became a zealous little -cook’s mate. I remember we gave him and some -small companions a few of the dried prunes we -were eating, and they tied up each one most carefully -in a separate leaf, and said they would take -them to their mothers. I also remember in connection -with that meal that Mr. Menzies and I -incautiously partook of red peppers, supplied us -by some hospitable friend, and cried in consequence -many bitter and involuntary tears.</p> - -<p>Our path next lay through a succession of little -valleys with graceful eta-palms growing in all the -creeks, and occasionally patches of bush, through -which the Makusis had cut us a royal road. The -trail, which had hitherto run east-south-east, now -turned back on itself, the direction being west-north-west -to the Puwa creek, which we forded -after another two hours’ march; and from the -ford it took us twenty minutes more to reach -Puwa village. Our path was practically level and -very good going all the way from Chiung to -Puwa. The distance, as the crow flies, between -those villages over the hill-tops is only some six -miles, but we had come at least twice that distance. -The provision-fields of Puwa village are<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_138" id="Page_138">[138]</a></span> -in forest, close by the ford, and are very fertile. -One yam brought from these fields and given to -us was as much as a man could carry. The village -itself stands on the right bank of the stream -from which it takes its name, and is situated in a -ring of hills, two of which we climbed, being -rewarded by a very good view of the Ireng valley -and of the river itself, flowing in a deep-cut -trench. Everyone in Puwa was drawn up in -festal array to meet us, very anxious to shake -hands, and all who could boast clothes of any sort -had them on. The ladies mostly had their skirts -hung round them, immediately below their arm-pits, -whilst the correct Puwa wear for trousers is -to hang them round the shoulders, the seat forming -a sort of mantle behind and the trouser legs -quite handy to flap away flies or wipe a perspiring -forehead, as need may arise. One boy there was -who had, I should imagine, been away to work on -some Brazilian ranch, for he was most magnificently -got up in a white coat, blue trousers <i>on</i> -his legs, and three necklaces; and he had a larger -number of pins stuck through his lower lip than -anyone else. He evidently fancied himself no -end, so we christened him the “Nut.” Both -Patamonas and Makusis have a habit of sticking<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_139" id="Page_139">[139]</a></span> -pins, or, failing these, pieces of stick, through -their lower lips. The Makusi women are very -much shorter than the men, but their figures, save -in girlhood, are not pretty. They carry splendidly, -and I should think are as strong as the men. -They are very squat and have immense legs, being -beasts of burden from childhood, whereas the men -only carry loads on state occasions. Indians generally -live at a considerable distance from their -provision-fields, and often at some height above -water, so that the women are perpetually engaged -in droghing. The Indian children seem to abound -everywhere and to enjoy life. Indeed, I think -they live in a children’s Paradise—no lessons, no -clothes, no bed-time!</p> - -<p>Puwa village consisted of three houses, and -another, in process of building for us, was in much -the same state as that we occupied in Chiung. The -villagers made me a nice little dressing-room in -one corner of our <i>benab</i> with tarpaulins and a -cowhide; and on arrival I subsided into my hammock -to enjoy a glorious cool breeze blowing up -the valley, whilst my husband climbed the steep -rocky hill just above the village to take observations. -Meantime all sorts of offerings came in. -Piles of cassava, plantains and bananas, enormous<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_140" id="Page_140">[140]</a></span> -yams, pumpkins, eggs, and a couple of fowls, one -of which Haywood had in the soup in a jiffy. -The people seemed to have a great affection and -respect for Mr. Menzies, and he usually got them -to understand somehow what he wanted, although -he does not speak more than six words of -their language. “Walky” takes the place of -“makey” in pidgin Makusi. “Um” represents -“piecey” of pidgin Chinese. We went -to bed early, the young moon and stars shining in -beautifully upon us; but dogs marauding about -amongst our baggage disturbed us a good deal, as -did attendant fleas. Indian dogs are never fed, -so that they may be keen hunters, and they are -always mangy and horribly thin.</p> - -<p>Next day we spent in Puwa, as there was so -much to do. Everyone was very busy. Haywood -did some satisfactory and much-needed -laundry work. The Indians drove up a herd of -fine short-horn cattle for our inspection, then a -bullock was separated from the rest, driven down -to the edge of the stream, and killed at a blow by -a Makusi, after which all the village assisted at -the cutting up and salting. The rest of the cattle -smelt blood, and set up a fearsome bellowing. -This herd had been purchased by Mr. Menzies<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_141" id="Page_141">[141]</a></span> -from Indians in Brazil, and by him driven across -the Ireng River. Another matter to be settled -was the method of carrying me, when necessary, -on the line of march. My husband insisted that -from time to time in the heat of the day I should -be carried in a hammock slung on a pole between -two carriers. This, of course, was never possible -when the trail ran at all steeply up or down hill. -It was quite impossible in the forest, and my -hammock did not come into use for this purpose -until we left Puwa. The expedient was adopted -principally to give me opportunities of rest without -thereby delaying the progress of our caravan. -Johnny and Jack, two stalwart Indians from -Chiung village, undertook the carrying job. Then -we selected from our stores what we thought we -should ourselves consume during the next fortnight—jam, -oatmeal, sausages, chocolate, dried -fruit, cheese, biscuits, tea and coffee, enough to -make a load for one man. The rest, together -with a few of our personal belongings, we handed -over to the headman of Puwa, to keep in his -banaboo until we returned. We also settled that -the whole of our droghers from Chenapowu, save -two, should remain and be fed in Puwa during -such time as we were on our way to and from<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_142" id="Page_142">[142]</a></span> -Roraima. The two we took with us were Edward -and Moses, both Makusis, who particularly -requested to be allowed to come. The Amik -boys went with us next day to Mataruka, and -then returned to Puwa to rest, so that they might -be fresh for the return journey through the -Kowatipu forest.</p> - -<p>When the chief part of cutting up the bullock -had been accomplished and long strips of it had -been salted and dried in the sun, Mr. Menzies -worked a gramophone, to everyone’s great delight. -This gramophone had been brought up in fulfilment -of a request from Albert, the headman of -Mataruka. He had asked for a church bell, a -gramophone, and “high wines”—that is, rum—as -a reward for the services which he would give -us in connection with our farther journey. Mr. -Menzies had undertaken on our behalf that the -first two of his wishes should be fulfilled if he -arranged to have his people ready to convey us -from Mataruka to Roraima. With the gramophone -we supplied half a dozen records; and as I -listened to the hideous machine screaming out -its ragtime, “Tipperary,” etc., sung with an -appalling Yankee twang, I wished we could have -done something better for the poor dears.</p> - -<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_143" id="Page_143">[143]</a></span></p> - -<p>A nice breeze blew all day, and we were not -troubled by kabouru save in the very early morning. -After tea-time we strolled up a little hill -close by and enjoyed the cool of the afternoon and -a lovely view of the Puwa and Ireng valleys. We -had excellent grilled steak for dinner; but the -dogs were worse than ever at night, trying to -get at the meat that had been hung up to dry. -The Indians sat up eating the remains of the -bullock nearly all night. They made remarkably -little noise over their feast, and appeared perfectly -fresh and gay next morning.</p> - -<p>On the following morning there was great delay -in getting off owing to the redistribution of loads; -so my husband and I started off by ourselves, with -my hammock-bearers ahead to show us the way. -But more haste, less speed! Johnny and Jack, -for reasons best known to themselves, saw fit to -guide us down into a low stuffy valley, shut off -by high hills from any breath of wind, and we -struggled along for an hour and a half through -bush and old yam and cassava cultivation by a -path which at times did not admit of our standing -upright. Finally we climbed out of the valley, -up a steep col, where we joined our caravan of -droghers and Mr. Menzies, who had come by a<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_144" id="Page_144">[144]</a></span> -shorter and quicker route along a hill-ridge, -affording a fine view of mountain scenery far and -near. From the point where the two trails converge, -an hour’s march over a charming and -spacious savannah valley, in which there are some -rice-fields, and up a low hill, leads to a banaboo, -beautifully situated some six hundred feet above -the Ireng, now in full view, and commanding a -superb panorama. To the south lay the fertile, -golden-looking Mataruka plain, crossed by the -line of the Waikana creek; to the south-east was -a tangle of big hills beyond the Ireng; to the east -the Puwa hills and a glimpse of the Karto tableland; -from north through west to south, beyond -the winding Ireng, the most glorious stretch of -open rolling grass hills and valleys that one could -wish to see; and beyond all that, in the far, far -distance, was Roraima’s great block, some sixty -miles away in the direct line of vision. Of course, -it was impossible at that distance to distinguish -between Roraima, Kukenaam, and Weitipu. -We merely saw a dim blue mass, obviously very -much higher than anything near it.</p> - -<p>The air on our hill-top was absolutely glorious, -and a strong breeze blew steadily. The place is -too high for the kabouru, and we spent a couple<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_145" id="Page_145">[145]</a></span> -of hours enjoying ourselves, and ate a most excellent -midday meal. Our menu consisted of beefsteak, -potatoes, onions, yams, biscuits, cheese, -prunes, lemonade and coffee; and we laughed at -the idea of the starvation journey which an expedition -to Roraima is always supposed to be. Haywood -cooked inside the banaboo, to get out of the -wind, and his grilled steak was first-class. The -banaboo gave us pleasant shade during the meal, -for we sat in the open immediately under the -thatch-eaves. In the afternoon we descended -sharply to the left bank of the Ireng, which is -here the boundary of British Guiana. By the -river-side the kabouru were one black cloud, and -I was thankful for my dark blue veil, which -appeared to scare them off me. The boat we -wanted was on the Brazilian side of the river, so -one of our men sprang into the water, swam -across for it, and paddled gaily back to us, apparently -not the least out of breath, although the -Ireng here is wide and flows with a swirling current. -We hastily got into the dug-out and crossed -the river, landing at a point where the Waikana -creek from the Mataruka plain flows into the -Ireng. So we left British Guiana for Brazil.</p> - -<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_146" id="Page_146">[146]</a></span></p> - -<hr /> - -<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_147" id="Page_147">[147]</a></span></p> - -<h2 id="CHAPTER_VIII">A CORNER OF BRAZIL</h2> - -<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_148" id="Page_148">[148]</a></span></p> - -<hr /> - -<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_149" id="Page_149">[149]</a></span></p> - -<h3>CHAPTER VIII<br /> -<span class="smaller">A CORNER OF BRAZIL</span></h3> - -<div class="poetry-container"> -<div class="poetry"> -<div class="verse">Across the hills, and far away</div> -<div class="verse indent1">Beyond their utmost purple rim.</div> -<div class="verse right"><span class="smcap">Tennyson</span>: <i>The Day-Dream</i>.</div> -</div> -</div> - -<p>It took some time to ferry our whole party across -the Ireng, as there were only three boats available—namely, -two small dug-outs and a large -one, the latter specially made for us by the -Mataruka people. The crossing was an amusing -performance to watch, and very picturesque the -dug-outs looked piled up with baggage and -people. Meanwhile, my husband and I rested -in shade under some trees at the mouth of the -Waikana creek, which drains the Mataruka -savannah and joins the Ireng through a narrow -rift between hills that completely conceal the -plain from the river-side. But, once through -this gate, an extensive flat prairie lies before you; -and an hour’s march over it brings you to -Mataruka village, at the foot of the mountain of -the same name, which we had first seen from the<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_150" id="Page_150">[150]</a></span> -Karto tableland, and which had been in view off -and on ever since. Even at the village you are -only halfway across this admirable pasture-land, -which is flanked on the east by Mount Bulak-köyepin, -a landmark conspicuous during many -days of our journey, and on the south by the hills -that divide the Ireng from the Kotinga watershed. -A tropical sun blazed down out of a cloudless -sky, and I was extremely glad to avail myself -of the hammock, and to find that the men carried -me very comfortably. They bore me along faster -than I could have walked.</p> - -<p>Mataruka is a large Makusi village; and we -found all its inhabitants drawn up in two long -lines, with their chief, Albert, at their head, waiting -to shake hands. I did wish that the fashion -of shaking hands had not spread to this far-away -corner of Brazil, and I left the brunt of it to my -husband; but all the mothers brought their babies -to me to shake hands. They seem to regard it -as a most important ceremony, and, of course, -we should have hated to hurt the feelings of this -friendly, pleasant people. Albert, a very stout -and heavy personage, whom we did not much -like, wore a pink shirt and grey trousers, all much -too small for his portly figure. In expectation<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_151" id="Page_151">[151]</a></span> -of his church bell and gramophone, he had mustered -his people from far and wide to meet us. -He had also caused a banaboo to be built for us, -a very large, though unfinished edifice, of which -the greater part of the roof had been completed -and also the sides to windward—a fortunate circumstance, -as the wind sweeps ceaselessly over -the Mataruka plain. We went into our house, -followed by the entire village; and Albert then -brought up Joseph, our future guide, a very shy -Makusi cowboy. My husband asked him how -many days the journey to Roraima would take, -and he answered by nervously reeling off all the -names of mountains and rivers we should pass. -This certainly made it sound a very long way -indeed. Joseph we found to be a really good -fellow, and we became very fond of him before -the end of our journey.</p> - -<p>These preliminaries being over, “gramophone -talked,” with great success, and was duly handed -over to Albert after he had been instructed how -to work it, together with his church bell. No -sooner had that been done than he proceeded to -ring the bell as a summons to the villagers to come -to church. Albert, who has strong ecclesiastical -leanings, has set apart as a church in his village a<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_152" id="Page_152">[152]</a></span> -very nice banaboo with a pointed apse containing -a picture of the Madonna and Child. Logs -on the floor serve as pews for the congregation, -which trooped in dutifully at the sound of the -bell—men, women and children, dogs and poultry. -Then began a sort of religious service; for -Albert conducts lengthy prayers and hymn-singing -every morning and afternoon. We could -frequently catch the words “Ave Maria” and -“Spiritus Sanctus”; and, whenever the congregation -fastened upon any phrase or tune they -knew, they all shouted lustily together. Albert -himself intones rather well, having been taught -by an itinerant Roman Catholic priest. On -every day we spent in the village Matins and -Evensong were duly celebrated, while in the -intervals the gramophone proved a great success. -There are several houses in Mataruka, and also a -corral for the cattle. At our request, a herd of -about fifty head was driven into the corral for our -inspection; and the Makusis said there were, in -addition, plenty of wild cattle round about. Here -we enjoyed a plentiful supply of new milk, -brought to us in large gourds, and on our return -journey a bullock was killed for our benefit.</p> - -<p>The dogs of Mataruka were unfortunately even<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_153" id="Page_153">[153]</a></span> -more insistent than those we had hitherto had to -endure. Nothing was safe from the miserable -starving brutes. They sprang upon the rough -tables made of cross-wise branches and snatched -anything that was put down for a second. Poor -Haywood was almost beside himself, and was -quite hurt with me for collapsing with laughter -as a dog swallowed three eggs and made off with -two fish that had been brought as a gift. The -fish were certainly very stale and the eggs probably -likewise, so it was not a matter to grieve over, -as the loss of a precious ham at Chiung had been. -We went to bed as usual at dusk. The night was -chilly, and the glory of the stars above the wide -plain was wonderful.</p> - -<p>We were up again breakfasting on porridge -and fresh milk by starlight with a sinking -Southern Cross before dawn of day (9th January). -There was, however, much delay in starting off, -as we had an almost entirely new set of carriers. -The Mataruka folk appeared to regard our expedition -to Roraima in the light of a pleasure trip, -and a large number of women, and even one baby -in arms, accompanied us on the march there and -back. I think they enjoyed the idea of a pilgrimage -through the Arekuna country under a<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_154" id="Page_154">[154]</a></span> -safe escort. There is no love lost between Makusi -and Arekuna; the latter are stronger men and -fiercer, but the former are much more numerous. -So, our camp-followers being many, the usual -load for a drogher, which is between fifty and -sixty pounds, was considerably reduced, and -several men carried next to nothing. Our rate -of travel was thereby much accelerated, and -everyone was extremely cheerful, regarding the -whole jaunt as great fun.</p> - -<p>From Albert’s village our trail ascended between -Mount Mataruka on our right and Mount -Kako on our left. The valley, up which we -climbed, was very hot, even at half-past seven in -the morning, and we wound up it with the sun -at our backs towards an elusive pass over a succession -of ridges, each one pretending to be the -real summit, and when we had surmounted it, -behold! there was yet another beyond. It was -an exceedingly pretty valley with long golden -grass, dotted with picturesque shade trees; but -the Indians behind us set fire to the grass, -and on our return it was a blackened desolation. -Indians always set fire to the prairies -when they travel, partly to keep the trails clear -and make walking easier than it would be in long<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_155" id="Page_155">[155]</a></span> -grass, and incidentally to drive away snakes, but -partly out of merely childish pleasure in the blaze. -It is very bad for the country, as the soil after a -burning tends to get washed off the hills by the -next heavy rain.</p> - -<p>When, after climbing for an hour and a -quarter, we really reached the final ridge at a -point 2,350 feet above sea-level, the view was -glorious and the air so keen and invigorating, so -strong and beautiful, that with each breath we -seemed to be drinking health and energy. From -this pass the most striking feature of the landscape -was Mount Chakbang, far away to the west-north-west. -It looks in shape somewhat like a -clenched fist, with one finger pointing up to the -sky. This mountain is indeed a surveyor’s friend, -for it is visible and unmistakable from nearly -every elevated point in the country.</p> - -<p>Joseph, our guide, a most picturesque bronze -figure, with his scarlet loin-cloth, his little quake -containing a hammock and drinking gourd on his -back, and a pair of chickens on his arm to assist -the commissariat, was always close to my husband, -telling him the names of all the hills far -and near, whenever we halted for observations. -He was tall and very lean and carried a knife in<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_156" id="Page_156">[156]</a></span> -his hand, with which he would gesticulate to himself -as he walked, describing semicircles in the -air with it, or pointing away to distant hills, -evidently reciting in his mind all the different -trails of the neighbourhood.</p> - -<p>From the col between Mount Mataruka and -Mount Kako, the trail taken by Joseph descended -slightly across an upland savannah and led us in -forty-five minutes to another col between the -hills to the east of Rera, a plain almost as large as -that of Mataruka and exceedingly well watered, -draining into the Kotinga. Rera is Joseph’s -home, and he pointed out his house far away to -the south of the golden savannah on a knoll, -where stood three banaboos with cattle grazing -close by. No breath of air stirred in the Rera -plain, and I was glad of my hammock. Johnny -and Jack had evidently found my weight the day -before more than they could bear, and had each -provided himself with a tin canister instead; but -I had two fresh volunteers, an old man, whose -name did not transpire, and his son, who called -himself “Misterquick.” Mr. Quick is an -Anglican parson who used to visit the district. -These two Makusis carried well; but Indians dislike -weights on their shoulders, as they are accustomed<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_157" id="Page_157">[157]</a></span> -to carrying on the back, and they often -complained, “Mamma heavy.” I did not, however, -require them to carry me for long at a time, -though the hammock was very useful in enabling -me to rest every now and then for ten or fifteen -minutes without delaying the line of march.</p> - -<p>After skirting the Rera plain for some distance -past the foot of Mount Kurowya, we crossed a -rather nasty little eta-swamp, and then turned off -at a right angle to ascend a pass between Mount -Kumâraying and Mount Sakmann—a steep and -rocky track. Halfway up we stopped to take -lunch, where a delicious rippling brook crossed -our path. Unfortunately, there was little shade -and no breeze, so it was very warm. We made an -excellent meal off our Puwa beefsteak, for meat -keeps several days in this atmosphere. We also -took note of the extraordinary number of people -in our train; but, as only nineteen claimed -rations, we realized that the others had come -independently for the sake of the journey. There -were some uncommonly good fellows amongst our -men. Daniel, Joseph’s great friend and ally, -was a thoroughly hard-working boy. A younger -Thomas formed with Haywood our commissariat, -and a very efficient one too. Thomas carried the<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_158" id="Page_158">[158]</a></span> -lunch-basket and all the materials and implements -immediately necessary for making and eating a -meal, and he stuck firmly to a position just behind -Haywood, which meant that he was always well -to the front. Thomas also became a very handy -man about camp, and learnt with Indian deftness -to manipulate our folding beds, chairs, and table. -In return for these services, he was admitted to -mess with Haywood, who took care that he should -always have enough to eat, or rather that there -should be plenty, for an Indian has an infinite -appetite and can never have enough. Haywood -observed to me once: “I does like to see Thomas -eat. He eat so diligent”; and it was an apt -remark, for Thomas would squat down to finish -the remains in a saucepan with an air of rapt -thought, the complete concentration of a man -who is faced with one of the great tasks of life, -and he would scour and scour again the inside of -the pots with his spoon, until no smallest speck -of food could possibly be scraped together, before -he would consent to wash them. Thomas’s wife -came too, carrying a baby, as well as a quake with -their hammocks and food. I was rather anxious -about that baby the first day, exposed to torrid -sun with nothing on its head; but it was perfectly<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_159" id="Page_159">[159]</a></span> -well and cheerful the whole time—a fine little -boy. Johnny and Jack of Chiung were another -pair of stalwart friends. Jack wore a felt hat -with a green ribbon run in and out round the -crown. It looked a very quaint apex to his -brawny, bronze-red figure. He was an exceptionally -powerful fellow, whilst Johnny was a -dear old man to whom we became much attached. -He would come holding out his hand, saying -“Mamma” in a most appealing way, to beg for -a piece of chocolate; and if I refused him a bit, -he would sulk just like a spoiled child, and pretend -to be deaf when spoken to. Then the -“Pirate,” as we christened him on account of a -red handkerchief he wore tied round his head, his -real name being Alexander, was a cheery personage, -always to the fore, despite the fact that -he was very elderly; and he was closely followed -by his nimble, if likewise elderly, wife. The -“Nut,” too, having discarded necklaces and -trousers, proved a useful retainer.</p> - -<p>After our meal we started again up the hill. -It certainly was a roasting climb; but a delicious -breeze met us on the top and fanned us as we -went down the other side. We descended into a -small grass plain, at the end of which we crossed<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_160" id="Page_160">[160]</a></span> -a narrow strip of bush, where, as usual, a path -had recently been cleared for us; and then, following -the bank of a delightful jasper-bedded -little stream with pretty cascades and crystal clear -water, we wound in and out between low hills in -a narrow valley until the trail again took us to a -hill-top, whence we perceived that we had come -in a sweeping semicircle from Mataruka back to -the Ireng, which was again at our feet. At this -point we were two and three-quarter hours’ march -from the col between hills above the east end of -the Rera plain, say six miles by the trail in all its -windings; but the distance back to the col -between Mount Mataruka and Mount Kako was -only four miles in the direct line of vision. -Plainly, therefore, there must be some straighter, -if more arduous, path over this stretch of country; -and, as a matter of fact, the Arekunas who accompanied -us on our return journey did make a short-cut, -which took them from the Paiwa valley to -the saddle between Mount Mataruka and Mount -Kako without traversing the Rera plain. Their -path was, however, described by Joseph, with an -expressive gesture, as “Mountain-top, mountain-top, -mountain-top.” We could now see the -savannah peaks above Enamung as well as those<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_161" id="Page_161">[161]</a></span> -near Puwa, and it would evidently be possible to -reach Enamung from the Karto tableland by a -route far more direct than ours had been. Indeed, -Joseph afterwards told us of a trail leading from -Karto village to Enamung in two stages. That -would undoubtedly be the best line for any future -traveller bound for Roraima, as the long détour -through Chiung, Puwa, Mataruka, and Rera, is -thus avoided. Still, we did not object to the -longer march. It was all very delightful in the -keen air and sunshine, and I realized with great -thankfulness that I was now hardening to the -sun and felt extremely fit and well.</p> - -<p>From our hill-top we continued for some time -along a ridge, descending gradually at first, and -then sharply, till after twenty-three minutes’ -walk we forded a beautiful clear stream, almost at -the level of the Ireng, which it joined a short distance -to our right. Then, on a low knoll beyond, -we stepped upon some stone slabs with curious -markings on them, and here Joseph said, “Makunaima -pickaninny, he dead.” Makunaima is the -goddess whose tears, shed for the loss of her pickaninny, -are said to form Roraima’s waterfalls, and -this we supposed to be the child’s burial place. -Then came another little flat meadow, a strip of<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_162" id="Page_162">[162]</a></span> -woodland over some undulating ground, and we -again emerged into a large grassy plain in the -middle of which stands Paröwöpö village. I say -“village,” but there was only one banaboo and an -open building, which the few women about the -place called “church,” but which contained no -holy pictures nor any sign of worship. Our whole -party established ourselves in this “church”; -and, while we took tea, the women brought cassiri -for our droghers. As each fresh batch of -men came in, the cassiri bowl was handed to -Joseph to give them at his good pleasure. After -tea we had some difficulty in getting our caravan -to restart from Paröwöpö. They explained -that Enamung was “far far”; but, Joseph having -prescribed Enamung as our destination for -the night, we would not listen, but pressed on.</p> - -<p>Another hour and a quarter brought us to -Enamung village. The trail, after leaving the -Paröwöpö plain, passed through the forest-belt -which fills the low saddle between the hills that -separate the two savannahs. The trail in this -forest had been admirably cleaned and widened, -and even the leaves had been swept off the path. -Towards sunset we emerged from the bush into -a lovely scene, open savannah, with a broad<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_163" id="Page_163">[163]</a></span> -stream curving through it in a semicircle. On -our side of this stream the ground rose and fell -in pleasant undulations, whilst on the other side -it rolled up into high grassy peaks. We could -hear a cataract roaring on the right, where the -river disappeared from view. This river, called -the Wairann, is a tributary of the Ireng, and -we followed its course upstream for several miles -next day. The Enamung village consists of two -houses and a cattle-pen, perched up on a grassy -knoll just above the right bank of the Wairann. -A more beautiful spot for a camp cannot be -imagined. But we had barely time to spread -our tarpaulin over a wooden framework that stood -between the two banaboos before night closed in -on us; and just as dusk was falling some children -drove up cattle into the pen. We counted twelve -head. They were a good, short-horned, straight-backed -breed. This was the last place at which -we saw cattle on our outward journey. Of -course, the herds one sees at the various Makusi -villages are only the tame cattle; and we were -told that a far larger number roam wild among -these uninhabited savannahs, and are shot by -the Indians, when they have a craving for fresh -beef.</p> - -<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_164" id="Page_164">[164]</a></span></p> - -<p>It grew very cold directly the sun had gone -down, and the moon circled with earth-shine was -glorious, likewise the stars. Luckily there was -no wind, as our camp was most exposed. The -Indians and Mr. Menzies all slept inside the banaboos; -but we were in the open, and, as we lay with -all our blankets over us, looking into the infinite -depths of the starry skies, the muffled roar of the -distant cataract filling the air, four lines of Matthew -Arnold’s which have always haunted me and -filled me with longing since I was a child came -into my mind:</p> - -<div class="poetry-container"> -<div class="poetry"> -<div class="verse">In the moonlight the shepherds,</div> -<div class="verse">Soft lulled by the rills,</div> -<div class="verse">Lie wrapped in their blankets,</div> -<div class="verse">Asleep on the hills.</div> -</div> -</div> - -<p>On the morrow we were up again by starlight -and admired an exceptionally bright Southern -Cross. Then, after swallowing a large plateful -of porridge each, washed down with some coffee, -we were off on the trail as day dawned. From -Enamung village a climb of twenty-three minutes -took us to the brow of a hill, whence we had a -good view up the valley of the Wairann and far -beyond to Mount Weitipu, one of the giants -standing near Roraima. The path, however,<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_165" id="Page_165">[165]</a></span> -dropped down again to the river, which curved -back to us, and we followed its right bank upstream -for two hours in a beautiful valley. On -the left bank rose an almost perpendicular grassy -hill; but we wound alternately through meadows, -strewn with big black boulders, and through belts -of woodland, where, as before, a bridle track had -been cleared for us. The river was roaring in -cataracts or meandering in still reaches beside us -or racing round islands. It contains a large -volume of water.</p> - -<p>Our caravan halted for “breakfast” unusually -early, and we expostulated with Joseph; but he -waved his hand in the direction of our onward -path, which was now to leave the beautiful -Wairann, and said, “Tuna (<i>i.e.</i>, <i>water</i>) far, far.” -The Indians have a manner of saying “f-a-a-r-far” -in a faint voice that is wonderfully expressive -of distance.</p> - -<p>When the meal was over we resumed our -march, and a five minutes’ climb uphill, followed -by a seventeen minutes’ march across a small -plateau, finally took us from the watershed of the -Ireng to that of the Kotinga. From the small -plateau we again obtained a glorious view of -Mount Weitipu, rising high and blue above all<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_166" id="Page_166">[166]</a></span> -intervening hills. The next hour was spent in -descending from the plateau, fording a little brook -which falls into the Karakanang, a tributary of -the Kotinga, re-ascending on to another and very -stony tableland, to the south-east of which was -the Karakanang gorge, far below the level of our -trail, and so reaching the point where that river is -forded by stepping-stones of red jasper just above -its leap from the plateau level into the gorge. The -heat of the sun, though intense at midday, was -mitigated by a heavenly breeze that fanned us -steadily. Flights of locusts rose at our approach -and flew round us, hitting us all over. The -Indians eagerly caught as many as they could and -ate them raw on the spot, regarding them, apparently, -as titbits.</p> - -<p>The Karakanang is a most fascinating river, -flowing crystal clear in a succession of little vertical -falls, or else sliding over long, smooth slabs -of jasper into limpid green pools. This is the -regular formation of river-beds in the upper -Kotinga watershed. The colouring of that country -is exquisite: greeny-grey grass, red soil, and blue-green -crystal-clear water, flowing over coral-red -jasper bottoms. When we had crossed the Karakanang, -the tableland widened into a fine grassy<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_167" id="Page_167">[167]</a></span> -savannah, surrounded by a stately amphitheatre -of hills, and we marched over easily-undulating -ground for an hour and a half, crossing in that -time no less than six small streams, that flowed -through gulleys in the plateau to join the Karakanang. -The course of these tiny cañons could -be traced afar off by the eta-palms growing in -them. At last we came to a rift in the tableland, -where, beyond another small stream, there was a -strip of forest, through which, for the first time -since leaving Karto tableland, we found that no -trail had been cleared for us—a plain hint that we -were now passing from the land of the Makusis -into that of the Arekunas. Moreover, the stream, -where we reached it, ran in a deep pool, too deep -to ford; so, while Joseph and some of the men -were felling a couple of small trees for us to cross -by, and clearing a path through the wood, we sat -down under a big tree, drank cold tea, which -Haywood had handy, and ate chocolate. Joseph’s -arrangements being complete, we crossed the pool -on his makeshift bridge, and a few minutes’ walk -brought us to the other side of the bush. Thence -our trail gradually sloped down over a grassy -savannah to meet the Warukma River, where it -races down over a jasper bed, glittering under the<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_168" id="Page_168">[168]</a></span> -sun, from the heart of the mountain amphitheatre -that swept round in a majestic circle to -our left.</p> - -<p>We forded the Warukma and camped on the -ledges of its left bank. These torrents, when -swollen by heavy rain, must be a splendid sight, -but they would then be very difficult to cross. A -delicious current of icy-cold water was flowing in -the bed of the Warukma; but wide stretches of -jasper floor were uncovered and dry, and on one -of these Joseph and his men improvised for us a -most ingenious tent. They placed one end of a -ridge-pole in the fork of a tree on the bank; the -other end they supported on cross-wise poles, -whose bases they propped up with big stones. -They then stuck short uprights, on which to tie -the tarpaulin, in cracks of the ledge and buttressed -them up with stones. It was very picturesque. -The ledge made us a beautiful, clean, level floor, -and this was, in fact, the nicest camp of our journey. -We bathed in a natural “porphyry font,” -a few yards upstream from our tent. The water -was stone-cold and clear, and the pool very deep. -Little fish, about the size of a trout which would -be thrown back as too small, and of a bright green -colour, with black “eyes” on them, came swimming<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_169" id="Page_169">[169]</a></span> -up curiously to examine us. We had a still, -cloudless night; the moon was very bright, but -not large enough to dim the radiance of the stars.</p> - -<p>We woke to find the weather deliciously cool -and grey; and, after our porridge and coffee, we -started “under the opening eyelids of the morn” -to climb steadily until we reached the ridge of the -mountain amphitheatre. It was an hour’s ascent. -At the top we found a fine, grassy, high-level -plateau, well watered, but almost treeless, which -it took us just half an hour to cross. The freshness -of the grey morning gave wings to our feet. -We crossed a brook and a water-hole on this -plateau, for the country is wonderfully irrigated, -and every tableland seems provided with springs -of clear water. At the far end of the plateau, -before descending, we had a superb view back to -Mounts Mataruka and Bulak-köyepin. Given -favourable weather conditions, Roraima, Kukenaam, -Wei-assipu, Weitipu, and Muköripö can -all be seen from the trail itself at this point, which -is 3,150 feet above sea-level; but on our outward -journey they were densely veiled in cloud. If you -climb a peak rising above the plateau a little to the -east, Mount Chakbang also comes into sight. It -is a splendid observation-post for a surveyor, and<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_170" id="Page_170">[170]</a></span> -for that reason my husband labelled it “Landmark -Peak.”</p> - -<p>Our path now descended very gradually in the -valley of a stream, which rises on “Landmark -Peak” and soon becomes a fine jasper-bedded -watercourse, the trail betaking itself to the river-bed, -where the smooth slabs made excellent -going. This stream is called Aimaratökpai. It -was very nearly dry—a fortunate thing for us; -but I should love to see these rivers rushing down -in spate over their smooth stone floors. The bed -of this particular stream had weathered to a slate-blue -colour, but there was a good deal of pink, -disintegrated jasper sand lying on it. The effect -of the blue floor, with its pink streaks of sand and -the grey hills above it, was very lovely and curious.</p> - -<p>Too soon the line suddenly decided to leave -this friendly river-bed, and we had to scramble -up a steep bluff about sixty feet in height. An -Indian trail always makes a great point of doing -the unexpected. We then traversed a very -switchback of a path, winding over hill-spurs, -until we gained the top of a steep slant into the -valley of the Waraïna, a confluent of the Kotinga. -The view from this spot, before we descended, -was beautiful, and our whole company sat down<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_171" id="Page_171">[171]</a></span> -to admire it. Indians love to look out over a big -stretch of country, and it is amusing to watch a -crowd of them pointing out to each other all the -salient features and tracing with finger-tips the -directions of different trails over distant hills. -Their language seems onomatopœic, and at times -one can gather the gist of their conversation without -understanding one word. It sounds very -much as though they spoke in tones, like the -Chinese, but, much more quietly. They are a -curiously quiet people, the result, I suppose, of -living amid that big, silent Nature. We never -heard them sing on the line of march, or even -when paddling, and they seldom raise their voices. -In camp, with thirty of them close by, they never -disturbed us. If we happened to wake in the -night, only the flicker of the fires, which they -keep going throughout the dark hours, reminded -us that they were near us; and even in their villages -they make little noise. A mere dozen blacks -or Chinese would give one a very different tale to -tell.</p> - -<p>A steep scramble downhill brought us to the -side of a brook, which we followed for a short distance, -and which flows into the Waraïna. We -left the brook just before the watersmeet, and<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_172" id="Page_172">[172]</a></span> -crossing in the fork a little belt of land, where -some fine cassava was growing, we forded the -Waraïna. Then a short walk took us to our -breakfast camp on the Opamapö, another confluent -of the Waraïna. This is one of the prettiest -spots in the country; for here the Opamapö -makes a vertical leap of some sixty feet over a red -jasper cliff into a clear, deep, jasper-ledged, tree-girt -pool. The crowning note of colour came -from a purple-blossomed tree projecting over the -cliff-side. We sat on the tree-shaded ledges -above the fall, drawing water for our meal from a -limpid, green pool, and the stream beyond wound -away fringed with eta-palm. Steep, green hill-shoulders -formed the far horizon.</p> - -<div class="figcenter" style="width: 350px;"> - -<img id="illus9" src="images/illus9.jpg" width="350" height="500" alt="" /> - -<p class="caption"><span class="smcap">Waratuk Rapids.</span></p> - -<img id="illus10" src="images/illus10.jpg" width="350" height="500" alt="" /> - -<p class="caption"><span class="smcap">Opamapö Waterfall.</span></p> - -<p class="caption-r"><a href="#Page_172">To face page 172.</a></p> -</div> - -<p>After an hour and a quarter’s rest, during -which we ate cold chicken, one of the four -brought with us from Mataruka, and our men -regaled themselves with cassava and dried beef, -we proceeded on our way, fording the Opamapö. -The weather was still delightfully grey and cool, -and we met a few light, passing showers—greetings -from Roraima behind his cloud-wall. We -marched in a steadily widening valley for fifty -minutes until we reached the crest of a low ridge -that forms the water-parting between the streams<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_173" id="Page_173">[173]</a></span> -that feed the Waraïna and the basin of the -Kotinga itself. The latter river, however, as had -previously been the case with the Ireng, remained -invisible until we reached its edge. We were -now in the gently-sloping pasture-lands of a magnificent -valley, beautifully watered by numerous -streams, whose course is marked in the lush grass -by avenues of eta-palms; but no human habitation -or sign of cattle could anywhere be seen. -We put up a big deer, but it escaped us easily. -There were signs that a fire, probably lit by travelling -Indians, had recently passed over the place, -the grass being very young and green, and the -stems of the palms blackened and scorched. On -our right we now saw Mount Weitipu quite -clearly, with Mount Muköripö, an oddly-shaped -rocky cone, close beside him. The ground undulates -gently, forming a plateau some three hundred -feet above both banks of the Kotinga, which -flows in a narrow trench below the spacious -acclivities of the surrounding country.</p> - -<p>At last from the edge of this plateau we saw at -our feet the Kotinga itself, with its turquoise-blue -water, flowing through a valley of brightest green, -dotted with eta-palms. So attractive and refreshing -it looked that we little guessed the hidden<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_174" id="Page_174">[174]</a></span> -plague awaiting us, until Joseph said resignedly, -pointing down to the river: “Kabouru plenty, -plenty.” We now descended quickly to the left -bank of the river, crossing the ravine of a boisterous -little brook on the way. The river-bed is here -about 2,200 feet above sea-level; and the ford is -not far below the confluence of the Kwating from -the north-west and the Pipi—another blue jewel -in a setting of eta-palms—from the north-east, to -form the Kotinga proper. It was by far the most -serious obstacle of the kind that we had to negotiate. -The river at the ford is some two hundred -feet wide, and contains near the left bank an -island of some size—the usual camping-ground of -Indians on their way over this trail—and near the -right bank another much smaller island. The -ford runs diagonally across at the brink of a small -rapid over jasper rocks, water-worn and slippery, -and would doubtless be quite impassable when the -river comes down in spate. As it was, the water -came well above my husband’s knees; and, the -current being strong, we had to plant our feet -carefully at each step to avoid an accident. We -had by this time become quite accustomed to -wading over streams, and much enjoyed the delicious -feeling of the stone-cold water round our<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_175" id="Page_175">[175]</a></span> -feet and legs. Our clothes and our canvas rubber-soled -boots dried very quickly in the sun after each -such crossing. Joseph wanted us to camp on the -island near the left bank, but we did not like the -look of it. It was covered with dense bush, and -the kabouru, from which pest we had been happily -free since crossing the Ireng, rose in their millions -to receive us. Besides, we felt that a ford, -once begun, is better done and finished with. It -was great fun getting across. Joseph held my -arm firmly, and piloted me with much care and -skill. The long file of our Indians, men and -women, gingerly picking their way along the -brink of the rapid, was a quaint sight.</p> - -<div class="figcenter" style="width: 700px;"> -<img id="illus11" src="images/illus11.jpg" width="700" height="400" alt="" /> -<p class="caption"><span class="smcap">Fording the Kotinga River.</span></p> -<p class="caption-r"><a href="#Page_174">To face page 174.</a></p> -</div> - -<p>On the right bank of the Kotinga, in the neighbourhood -of the ford, there was no “bush,” without -which, of course, one cannot camp, as firewood -is essential, and the Indians must have trees -on which to hang their hammocks. So we moved -on, the trail turning downstream to the left and -then up an eta-fringed brook. After a little while -we forded this brook, and, having crossed a low -ridge, we made camp at 4.30 p.m. on the banks of -another stream in a clump of bush at its edge. -Alas! there was no escaping the kabouru! As -soon as we had halted, they came about us in<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_176" id="Page_176">[176]</a></span> -swarms, and rendered life intolerable until dark, -at 6.30 p.m., when they all disappeared. The -ups and downs of camp life are truly astonishing! -The night before, in the Warukma bed, we had -had as perfect a site for our camp as we could possibly -desire, whilst the Kotinga valley camp could -not well have been more disagreeable. It was -not a picturesque camp either, for the surroundings -had recently been scorched by fire. The -stream beside us was, however, pretty enough. -It dropped in a cascade into a steep gulley at our -feet, there disappearing into a dense thicket. But -there was no level ground, so that we spent an -uncomfortable night with our beds at a slant. I -would strongly advise future travellers by this -route to endeavour to ford the Kotinga early -enough in the day to permit of their camping for -the night some way up the hills to the north or -south of the valley, at a distance from the river.</p> - -<p>Next day (12th January) we were up, dressed, -and packed before dawn, to avoid the kabouru. -It was a glorious, cool morning. A heavy dew -sparkled on the grass, and the air was keen and -fresh. Our path continued obstinately to the -left, despite the fact that our goal lay behind -Weitipu on the right; and we passed over beautiful<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_177" id="Page_177">[177]</a></span> -undulating meadows, like English hayfields -ready for the scythe, and then round hill-spurs, -until after one and three-quarter hours’ march we -reached the valley of the Chitu, a large confluent -of the Kotinga, crossing on our way frequent little -brooks that tumbled down steep gulleys. Here -the Indians and Haywood killed a snake in the -grass, and the latter said it was a <i>labaria</i> and -poisonous; but is a snake ever killed which the -people concerned in the daring deed do not -declare to be deadly?</p> - -<p>We forded the northern fork of the Chitu close -to the point where it descends out of a steep line -of hills, and up the steepest part of these hills our -trail then proceeded to climb. Pink soil showed -through the grass, which was now short and growing -in tussocks, so that we knew we were still on -jasper formation. The hill ascended in a series of -terraces, the ascent between each being almost -vertical; and on each terrace we paused to drink -in the wonderful beauty of the widening view, for -our hill-side commanded a great stretch of the -Kotinga valley, shut in far away by the mountain -ranges we had crossed in the previous forenoon. -The sun filtered through the clouds enough to -light up the scene with the most extraordinary<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_178" id="Page_178">[178]</a></span> -and exquisite colouring, the far hills being a marvellous -sapphire and the nearer country a brilliant -emerald, patched with purple cloud shadows. -It reminded me dimly of old stained glass and of -the colouring of Rossetti’s pictures. We were -climbing the crest of the hill-ridge in the fork -between the northern and southern branches of -the Chitu River, and one hour’s effort brought us -to the summit. We then had a view right back -to “Landmark Peak,” while in front of us -stretched a tableland, over which the wind blew -keen and cold, for we were 4,500 feet above sea-level. -Such a country! And there it lies, all -untouched and unknown, the great silence of solitude -brooding over it! Save for a handful of -nomadic Indians scattered over the vast prairies, -never a man treads these lonely regions.</p> - -<p>For the next hour and a half our path lay over -charming upland savannah, with here and there a -strip of woodland, intersected by numerous brooks -hurrying down in cascades to meet the Chitu. We -halted beside one of these rivulets, crossing, as -usual, just above a cascade that fell into the customary -deep green pool. We had to put our -coats on directly we stopped to rest, for the sky -was overcast and a chilly but invigorating wind<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_179" id="Page_179">[179]</a></span> -was blowing. Anyone who filled these highland -valleys with cattle and built himself a jasper house -amidst the life-giving breezes of the hills would -have his lot cast in a fair land. After luncheon -we walked on again, and were caught in one or two -light showers of cold drizzle, though not enough -to soak our clothes. We descended slightly to -cross the southern fork of the Chitu, racing down -to its valley. The ford is short, but deep. Then -we climbed to the head-waters of the Chitu close -by. Here is, we believe, the divide between the -Amazon and the Orinoco; and, if so, at this point -we presumably crossed from Brazil into Venezuela. -These two republics, however, have not -delimited the frontier in this neighbourhood.</p> - -<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_180" id="Page_180">[180]</a></span></p> - -<hr /> - -<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_181" id="Page_181">[181]</a></span></p> - -<h2 id="CHAPTER_IX">THE VENEZUELAN APPROACH TO RORAIMA</h2> - -<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_182" id="Page_182">[182]</a></span></p> - -<hr /> - -<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_183" id="Page_183">[183]</a></span></p> - -<h3>CHAPTER IX<br /> -<span class="smaller">THE VENEZUELAN APPROACH TO RORAIMA</span></h3> - -<div class="poetry-container"> -<div class="poetry"> -<div class="verse">There, among the flowers and grasses,</div> -<div class="verse">Only the mightier movement sounds and passes;</div> -<div class="verse indent1">Only the winds and rivers,</div> -<div class="verse indent2">Life and death.</div> -<div class="verse right"><span class="smcap">R. L. Stevenson</span>: <i>In the Highlands</i>.</div> -</div> -</div> - -<p>From the ridge above the head-waters of the -Chitu we descended gently, and after fifteen -minutes’ march we forded the Maipa, a deep, -sluggish stream, with a belt of forest at its farther -side. On the projecting branch of a tree a -glorious purple orchid, the only one we saw during -our journey, was admiring its reflection in the -water. The Maipa probably belongs to the -Orinoco watershed. We then traversed the narrow -forest belt on the farther bank, and emerged -into a curiously-rifted savannah, which led us to -the foot of another abrupt hill-side. Up it we -went, and found ourselves at the edge of a vast -rolling plain, Weitipu on our right and far beyond -a big fog-bank, which we knew concealed<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_184" id="Page_184">[184]</a></span> -Roraima. His great form loomed dark in the -cloud. This tableland, at the extreme south-east -edge of which we stood, extends past the foot of -Mount Weitipu almost to the foot of Roraima, -and then drops down to the Kukenaam River. -Its average level is fully 3,800 feet above the sea, -its gentle grassy undulations, broken here and -there by clumps of trees beside intersecting watercourses, -spread out before us for a distance which -it took no less than five and a half hours’ actual -march to traverse. This plateau is a superb pasture-land, -but no animals now graze there, save a -few wild deer. What a country to lie fallow!</p> - -<p>We proceeded on our way, fording the Arataparu -and the Weiwötö, both large tributaries of -the Arabupu. All these streams undoubtedly feed -the Kukenaam River, and thus form a part of -the Orinoco basin. The ford of the Weiwötö was -just above a lovely flashing waterfall, and we -camped on its right bank. Now at last did -Roraima and Kukenaam deign to take note of us. -First the head of the Töwashing pinnacle, which -forms Roraima’s south-east corner, emerged from -out of a fog-bank; then a piece of grim, grand -shoulder, then cloud-drift once again; but gradually -more and more of the twin giants was<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_185" id="Page_185">[185]</a></span> -exposed, never clear all at once, but hinted at -sufficiently for us to grasp their outlines. I felt -smitten with awe and fear. We seemed so minute -and so presumptuous to venture unbidden into the -presence of these towering monsters in a land that -knew us not. The glory and the beauty was very -great, as the evening sun fell on them, the fleecy -clouds now revealing, now concealing, the black -precipices. Well may the Indians feel that the -place is holy ground!</p> - -<p>I must try to describe the scene more exactly. -Weitipu lay on our right almost due north of us, -rising sheer up from the plain. This mountain -seems to be made of quartz, cliffs of which stood -out where the savannah slopes had been washed -away. Its southern end is roughly circular at the -base, the sides being terraced and the small -plateau at the top being surmounted by a sharp -peak, which would afford an uninterrupted view -to every point of the compass. All this part of -the mountain is savannah dotted with occasional -tree-clumps, and it is seamed by the gulleys of -small streams tumbling from its terraces in sparkling -waterfalls. To the northward the mountain -is forest-clad, and is shaped into the cliff-sided, -flat-topped rectangular block, so characteristic of<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_186" id="Page_186">[186]</a></span> -this country. From its north-west side stretches -a sea of forest, in which two crags jut out fantastically -side by side, the more conspicuous of the two -being known as Muköripö. Between Weitipu -and Roraima the land drops very considerably and -is densely forested. Then arises Roraima’s south-eastern -wall, which is said to be ten miles long. -From our camp at Weiwötö we saw it, of course, -greatly foreshortened, and the south-western face, -up which we eventually climbed, we could not yet -see at all; but Kukenaam’s southern end projected -far beyond the Töwashing pinnacle. At one -moment the clouds cleared away almost entirely, -and we counted six long white streaks of water -falling vertically down Roraima’s cliff-face. It -had evidently rained heavily, for we did not see -these cascades again after a spell of fine weather.</p> - -<p>Our Weiwötö camp was very exposed and -bleak. Joseph looked so shiveringly cold that we -spared him an outfit of clothes, which, alas! -greatly impaired the dignity and picturesqueness -of his appearance. The Makusis, with Mr. Menzies -and Haywood, went off for the night to a little -wooded island amidstream for shelter. They had -stretched one of our tarpaulins for us over an old -hut-frame on the open plain, and had made a most<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_187" id="Page_187">[187]</a></span> -inefficient wind-break with the other. As we -tossed and shivered on our narrow camp-beds -through the chilly night, we could see the dim, -cloud-wrapped mountain forms looming against -the moonlit sky.</p> - -<div class="figcenter" style="width: 700px;"> -<img id="illus12" src="images/illus12.jpg" width="700" height="500" alt="" /> -<p class="caption"><span class="smcap">The South-West Face of Mount Roraima, showing the Töwashing Pinnacle.</span></p> -<p class="caption-r"><a href="#Page_186">To face page 186.</a></p> -</div> - -<p>For the first and only time on the journey Haywood -failed to have his fire alight before dawn. -His excuse, as he arrived by daylight, was an -entirely adequate one. To reach the bush-covered -island, where he and the Indians had slept, it was -necessary to wade knee-deep in water, and he did -not like to attempt the ford in the dark. So we -got off somewhat later than usual, and after fifteen -minutes’ march forded the Arabupu. This -stream, running very fast and deep, at times -nearly carried me off my feet. The water rose -well above my husband’s knees, and the squat -little Indian women were up to their waists. -From now onwards until we halted for breakfast -we were walking over prairie land, mostly on the -upward trend, towards the nearest corner of -Roraima’s south-eastern wall where the Töwashing -pinnacle separates itself from the mass, and -we came gradually round to face the south-western -side. Flights of locusts rose in all directions -on our approach. We walked sharply to<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_188" id="Page_188">[188]</a></span> -keep ourselves warm. Roraima and Kukenaam -were at first impenetrably hidden in fog; but, as -the day wore on, the sun came out and very -gradually dispersed the clouds. Nearer and nearer -we came, the great cliffs, rendered peculiarly -mysterious by the flying clouds that partly -enveloped them, for ever changing their shapes, -till I said to myself: “Either I am dreaming it -all, or else I have had a touch of sunstroke; but -that scene cannot be real.”</p> - -<p>We breakfasted in sun and wind in a hollow -by a small brook, and then set off again, proceeding -to the edge of the tableland, which then falls -abruptly down in steep-sided terraces to the basin -of the Kukenaam River. We dropped down -some one thousand feet into this valley in the -course of an hour, and then walked up the left -bank of the Kukenaam River over flat ground, -intersected by streams and swamps, under a broiling -sun, in blinding glare—not a pleasant walk. -A march of one and a quarter hours through this -country brought us to the Töwashing, a stream -which leaps from the Töwashing pinnacle of -Mount Roraima to join the Kukenaam, and, fording -it, we filed into Kamaiwâwong village half an -hour later, amidst an ominous silence. My mind<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_189" id="Page_189">[189]</a></span> -had been plagued with a presentiment that some -hitch would befall us here. Several travellers -have reached this spot and yet failed to conquer -Roraima, one of the last being Dr. Crampton, a -professor from the United States, who became -convinced that the Arekunas meant to murder -him, and simultaneously that the ascent of -Roraima “to satisfy a purely personal ambition” -would be “unjustifiable.”<a name="FNanchor_2" id="FNanchor_2"></a><a href="#Footnote_2" class="fnanchor">[2]</a> The fact that -Kamaiwâwong was entirely empty and deserted -was far from reassuring. Not so much as a dog -was there to bark at us. We sat down in the -shade of one of the banaboos and sent Joseph with -a deputation up a small hill to the village of -Tekwonno, about half a mile off, across the -Kukenaam River. This, too, looked ominously -empty, and soon the deputation returned saying, -“No man.” Roraima and Kukenaam stood for -the first time entirely clear of cloud, gazing down -upon us as much as to say, “There is many a slip -’twixt the cup and the lip.”</p> - -<p>It was rather an uncomfortable position. We -had about thirty very hungry people with us. -They had been reckless with the food-supplies; -and, when Mr. Menzies remonstrated, Joseph had<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_190" id="Page_190">[190]</a></span> -declared: “Arekuna, plenty cassava.” But at -the “breakfast” hour this day more than half of -our followers had had nothing to eat. We -resolved, therefore, to establish ourselves at -Kamaiwâwong as comfortably as possible for the -night, and on the morrow, if the Arekunas did -not return, as we hoped they would do, to send -out a raiding party to find their provision-fields -and to bring in cassava, whilst we, with another -party, would attempt to make our way up the -mountain. With field-glasses we could see quite -clearly, running up the cliff-face, the ledge by -which all ascents of Mount Roraima have been -made since Sir Everard im Thurn first found the -way in 1884, a line of green across the red face -of the rock.</p> - -<p>Roraima and Kukenaam stand on the same vast -pediment of highland savannah. Doubtless in -remote ages they were one mountain.<a name="FNanchor_3" id="FNanchor_3"></a><a href="#Footnote_3" class="fnanchor">[3]</a> Above -the savannah slopes is a girdle of forest, out of<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_191" id="Page_191">[191]</a></span> -which the gigantic cliff-walls start up vertically a -thousand feet into the air, dominating and dwarfing -all beside. The whole scale is so huge that -eyes unaccustomed to it are easily deceived as to -the distances involved. The precipices seemed -to be close at hand, but in reality they were -not less than four miles away from us in the direct -line of vision to the nearest point. The twin -mountains are divided by a deep rift between their -cliffs, and from the summit of Mount Kukenaam -on the west side of this rift the Kukenaam River -leaps in a mighty waterfall, the spray and mists of -which surge to and fro in the gorge, filling and -concealing it, and often making the cliffs of the -two colossi appear to be one continuous escarpment.</p> - -<p>Rather glumly we established ourselves in -Kamaiwâwong. The village takes its name from -the Kamaiwa, a small stream which, after springing -vertically a thousand feet downwards from the -point on Roraima where the ledge athwart the -cliff-face reaches the summit of that grim wall, -flows past Kamaiwâwong, between it and Tekwonno, -to join the Kukenaam River. The banaboos -are built on a little plain, some 3,700 feet -above sea-level. We chose a circular one for our<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_192" id="Page_192">[192]</a></span> -dwelling. Only its walls to windward had been -filled in, so that it was the reverse of stuffy. Mr. -Menzies, with Joseph, Haywood, and Thomas, -occupied a house near by, whilst the others spread -themselves about in other buildings. Kamaiwâwong -was quite as large as Mataruka village, and -had an imposing church. The house of Jeremiah, -its late chief, stood in the centre, the doorway -blocked up with earth-sods. He had recently -died.</p> - -<p>We unpacked and settled down, and it was -beginning to get dusk, when Joseph called out -“Arekuna yebu” (<i>i.e.</i>, <i>coming</i>), and pointed to -a hill on the other side of the Kukenaam River, -where his keen eyes had detected moving figures. -The word went round the camp, “Arekuna -yebu.” It was a very great relief! Just as night -fell, three stalwart fellows strode up in single file, -all carrying guns, the first and last naked, the -centre one attired in a blue coat and trousers and -brown wide-awake hat. All had ear-rings and -painted faces. They wore an absurdly jaunty -delighted-to-see-you air, held out their hands, -ejaculated “How-do?” and laughed cheerily. -They then pointed to the mountain and said: -“Roroyima (such is the Arekuna pronunciation)<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_193" id="Page_193">[193]</a></span> -piff-piff-piff-paff-whizz,” or at least that is what -it sounded like; and it clearly meant: “It is a -long way up there; do you want to go?” We -signified that we did, and, moreover, that we -wanted cassava and <i>kapong</i> (<i>i.e.</i>, men). They -squatted down beside us, and said: “Yes, yes, -to-morrow, Schoolmaster yebu.” “Indeed?” -we said; “but what side Schoolmaster and what -side all man?” They pointed across the hills, over -which they had come, and said, “Wrayanda-aniafpai -banaboo”; so we sent off the blue-suited -fellow with a lamp to return to, and hasten, his -people, the other couple remaining with us.</p> - -<p>Kamaiwâwong had evidently been abandoned -by the villagers, Indian fashion, so that Jeremiah’s -<i>manes</i> might have peace; but we never -discovered for certain why Tekwonno also had -been deserted. The Arekunas afterwards said, -“Wrayanda-aniafpai plenty cassava,” as though -to imply that they were all employed there preparing -cassava; but this would not account for -every man, woman, child, dog, and fowl having -cleared out. It is more likely that they misdoubted -our intentions, and removed themselves -and their belongings until they were reassured. -Mr. Menzies laid it to a “guilty conscience.”<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_194" id="Page_194">[194]</a></span> -He said the Arekunas are often brigands, raid -Makusi fields, and carry off their women; and -that, seeing a large party approach, they preferred -to seek safety in flight until they were assured that -vengeance was not about to overtake them.</p> - -<p>We went to bed much relieved, and hoping to -make the ascent next day—a fallacious hope as it -proved; but really we were all the better for -having a day’s rest forced upon us, after six consecutive -marches, during which we had covered -the distance of some ninety-three miles between -Puwa and Kamaiwâwong. The night was very -cold. We piled our mackintoshes on top of our -blankets to keep in the warmth; but from 3 a.m. -onwards it was too cold to sleep, and we were up -at dawn preparing for the climb. Only our -camp-beds, our two bedding-bags, and one small -canister, were to be carried with us, and we were -ready to start before any more Arekunas had -come in. So we sat down to solace ourselves with -“the virtuous Macaulay,” hoping to make at all -events a half day’s march. At about 11 a.m. a -long string of Arekunas arrived, beating a tom-tom, -and much decorated with paint and necklaces. -One man had painted coat-buttons down -his naked chest! They brought with them cassava<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_195" id="Page_195">[195]</a></span> -and bananas, a clucking hen, and sat-on eggs, -also nineteen magnificent pineapples, which they -laid out in rows on the floor of our banaboo. -Those pineapples were quite the most delicious I -ever tasted. But to all inquiries as to making a -start the Arekunas merely replied, “Schoolmaster -yebu,” so that we had to resign ourselves -to further delay. The newcomers brought a -gourd of <i>paiwarri</i> with them, which they offered -to our people. This is a highly alcoholic beverage, -and made the eyes of the drinkers shine unnaturally. -We were glad to see that there was not -much of it.</p> - -<p>The day was brilliantly fine; not a cloud speck -on either of the great mountains, whose cliff-faces -shone red above the green tree-belts. We felt -we were letting opportunity sadly slip by us, but -there was nothing to be done. The glare from -the barren earth-terrace, on which an Indian village -always stands, was blinding, so we spent -nearly all day within the welcome shade of our -banaboo. Arekunas—men, women, and children—arrived -in small parties at intervals all day -long, and our hungry Makusis were regaled with -the much-desired cassava and cassiri. Towards -nightfall Schoolmaster came in, evidently the<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_196" id="Page_196">[196]</a></span> -chief of the tribe. Why he has this peculiar -name I do not know. He is a big, stalwart individual, -all muscle and sinew, full of gaiety and -laughter, as seems to be the Arekuna habit, and -we explained to him, pointing to the summit of -Roraima, that we wished to be there the next day. -After nightfall the moon shone brilliantly, so that -we had an opportunity of seeing the mountains -in all lights. It was an unforgettable scene of -mystery and beauty.</p> - -<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_197" id="Page_197">[197]</a></span></p> - -<hr /> - -<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_198" id="Page_198">[198]</a></span></p> - -<h2 id="CHAPTER_X">RORAIMA, FATHER OF STREAMS</h2> - -<hr /> - -<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_199" id="Page_199">[199]</a></span></p> - -<h3>CHAPTER X<br /> -<span class="smaller">RORAIMA, FATHER OF STREAMS</span></h3> - -<div class="poetry-container"> -<div class="poetry"> -<div class="verse">It was the rampart of God’s house</div> -<div class="verse indent1">That she was standing on;</div> -<div class="verse">By God built over the sheer depth,</div> -<div class="verse indent1">The which is Space begun.</div> -<div class="verse right"><span class="smcap">D. G. Rossetti</span>: <i>The Blessèd Damozel</i>.</div> -</div> -</div> - -<p>Saturday, 15th January, 1916, was the day on -which at last we climbed to the summit of Mount -Roraima. We were most fortunate in having a -cool, grey morning; and after sundry delays, at -which Indians are adepts, we started off from -Kamaiwâwong at 7.38 a.m. Our party consisted -of Schoolmaster and twelve other Arekunas, some -to act as baggage-carriers and some to cut open a -trail where the ascent was through forest. Mr. -Menzies and Haywood also accompanied us, but -none of our Makusi droghers. We had asked -Joseph and Daniel whether they would like to -come; but they said “No,” possibly under pressure, -for I don’t think the Arekunas particularly -wished the secret of their mountain to be disclosed<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_200" id="Page_200">[200]</a></span> -to Makusis. However, Joseph and Daniel -subsequently changed their mind, hurried after -us, and overtook us just as we were reaching the -cliff-top.</p> - -<p>Roraima stood in clear-cut outline before us, -untouched by clouds. There was heavy dew on -the grass, and it was delightful walking up the -savannah slopes. The hill-track led us off to the -right over ground which was in places very stony -but for the most part good going, if steep. -Schoolmaster pointed to the top of the mountain, -and said, “To-morrow”; but we firmly -answered, “No, to-day,” whereupon all the -Arekunas smiled and shook their heads, and -Schoolmaster shut his eyes, beat his breast, and -gasped, to show how exhausted we should soon -be. I retorted by running past him, laughing -my contempt, and pointing up to the sky, while I -told him, “Paranakiri [<i>i.e.</i>, <i>overseas</i>] mountain -so!” He opened his mouth, pointed down his -throat, and said, “Brandina!” which I fear -throws a lurid light on the proceedings of former -travellers. It was really quite an amusing dumb-crambo -argument; but our steady pace soon convinced -him that we meant business. The path -wound unremittingly uphill over long grass, with<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_201" id="Page_201">[201]</a></span> -big boulders, doubtless once part of Roraima’s -mighty cliffs, lying on all sides, much as they do -on Dartmoor tors, whilst the depressions are -boggy and filled with marsh-plants. The ever-widening -semicircle of panorama behind us was -very beautiful and interesting.</p> - -<p>From Kamaiwâwong to the forest fringe was a -hard three hours’ walk, with no halt save an occasional -pause for breath. At 10.24 a.m. we -reached the highest point of the savannah hills, -6,510 feet above sea-level. Then we dropped -down some fifty feet to the edge of the forest, and -made our first halt, from 10.35 a.m. to 12.17 p.m., -in thick jungle by the side of a delightful gurgling -brook, which dashes down icy cold from -Roraima’s bleak heights. The ascent to this -point can hardly be less than five miles by the -trail in all its windings. Schoolmaster introduced -the spot to us as “English pappa banaboo”; and -we believe he meant to indicate it as the site of -Sir Everard im Thurn’s camp, when he was -searching for a path to the top of Roraima. As -far as is known, Sir Everard was the first human -being to find a way up the precipice and to set -foot on Roraima’s summit. He did so on the -18th December, 1884, after spending about a<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_202" id="Page_202">[202]</a></span> -month in camp at the edge of the forest-belt, whilst -his Indians cut a trail to the toe of the ledge, -whereby alone the cliff-face can be surmounted; -and our midday halt must have been near the -place where he persevered with such patience. -We had a thorough rest and made a good meal. -Our limes having given out, we took a bottle of -lime-juice with us; and I made Schoolmaster -drink a spoonful of it, lest the appearance of a -bottle should make him believe that his “brandina” -prophecy was being fulfilled. Close by, -there were growing some delicious-looking blackberries; -but, just as we were about to eat some, -the Arekunas cried “No, no!” and made so -much fuss that we desisted.</p> - -<p>Restarting, we addressed ourselves to the -ascent through the forest-belt; and this, to my -mind, is really the only disagreeable part of the -whole climb. The ground here is a pell-mell of -huge boulders, pieces of disintegrated mountain -that have broken away from the overhanging cliffs -above during long ages past; for Roraima and -Kukenaam are but the “fragments of an earlier -world.” Over these rocks grows a dense mass -of small trees, and magnificent tree-ferns root -upon the débris of earlier decaying jungle, which<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_203" id="Page_203">[203]</a></span> -is covered with a carpet of slimy green moss and -has a horrid corpse-like smell. The whole place -is dank and cold, and the thick matting of moss -makes it impossible to know whether one is stepping -on a secure foothold, or on a rotten tree-branch, -or on nothing but a layer of moss and -twigs concealing a chasm between two great -rocks. It was a thoroughly nasty scramble, and -feet and hands had to be used almost equally. -Our rate of progress was necessarily slow, with -many short pauses, while the trail was being cut -open ahead of us, and it was 2.15 p.m. before we -reached the base of the cliff at the point where the -diagonal ascent by the jungle-covered rock-ledge -begins. During these two hours I must confess -that I was very unhappy, and I reflected much on -the superior wisdom of all the other women in -the world who had refrained from placing themselves -in this predicament. I expected to sprain -knee or ankle at every step, and the struggle was -dreadfully exhausting—in places more like tree-climbing -than mountaineering. Schoolmaster -with two Arekunas kept ahead of us to chop open -a track.</p> - -<p>At the base of the ledge we were 7,680 feet -above sea-level; and here it was that Mr. J. J.<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_204" id="Page_204">[204]</a></span> -Quelch camped in 1894, when he and his party -climbed Roraima. It is awe-inspiring to stand at -the very toe of that mighty precipice, with its -blue and red stains, and, looking vertically up, to -see the overhang of great masses of rock, ready, it -would seem, one day to topple over and grind to -pieces the ledge and all that is on it. But until -the day of that impending catastrophe the climb -up the ledge will present no great difficulty, -although there are some bad places in it. I put -my ear against the cliff, and could hear the drip -of water percolating inside.</p> - -<p>During the forest climb we had no view at all, -but the vegetation on the ledge, being stunted and -less dense, permits not infrequent glimpses of the -glorious landscape below, spread out like a great -green sea. Lovely flowers abounded at our feet, -and the cool air was like a tonic after the damp -oppression in the forest. We reached the first -obstacle in the ledge at 3.45 p.m., when it became -necessary to use a rope to assist the droghers in -hoisting their loads up an almost vertical rock-face -some twenty feet high. An active man, unloaded, -can, however, scramble up without such -assistance. A troublesome point about the ledge -is that it has three V-shaped dips, and its general<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_205" id="Page_205">[205]</a></span> -nature can best be shown diagrammatically -thus:</p> - -<div class="figcenter" style="width: 600px;"> -<img src="images/diagram1.jpg" width="600" height="200" alt="" /> -</div> - -<p>These three dips are very steep, and we had fairly -to slide down them, clinging on to every root, -bush, or stone we could catch hold of, while getting -up again on the other side was, of course, an -even more severe struggle.</p> - -<p>At the third dip we met the only other considerable -obstacle presented by the ledge. We -reached this point at 4.20 p.m., and found a -diminutive waterfall trickling down the face of the -precipice and falling in a shower of icy-cold spray -upon the ledge, which the action of the water has -swept clean of all bush and scrub. A sharp -V-shaped depression has here been cut in the -ledge, which ascends under the waterfall in rock -steps, covered with moss and very slippery. Care -is necessary, but in dry weather, such as prevailed -at the time of our ascent, there is little or no<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_206" id="Page_206">[206]</a></span> -danger. After heavy rain, however, it might be -impossible to pass beneath the waterfall, although -I doubt whether, except in the case of continuous -rainfall lasting many days, a traveller would be -held up long by this obstacle, as water appears to -drain away very rapidly from the reservoirs on -the rocky summit of Mount Roraima. For -example, from our camp at Weiwötö, after a -rain-storm had passed over Roraima, we counted -no less than six waterfalls on its south-eastern -face; but next day, after some hours of fine -weather, none of these could be seen with the -naked eye. They may possibly have continued -as small trickles, but were quite inconspicuous, as, -indeed, was the waterfall under which we now -passed, for it could not be seen from Kamaiwâwong.</p> - -<p>Save at this waterfall, the ledge is everywhere -many feet wide, and there is no danger whatsoever -of falling off it. From the waterfall -another forty minutes’ direct ascent over rock-boulders -brought us to the top of the escarpment, -8,625 feet above sea-level. We reached this point -at 5 p.m. The whole climb had, therefore, taken -us three hours over savannah, two hours through -forest, and two and three-quarter hours up the<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_207" id="Page_207">[207]</a></span> -ledge. For purposes of comparison, I may here -say that the descent of the ledge occupied one and -three-quarter hours, the descent through forest -one hour and fifty minutes, and across the savannah -two and a half hours. Roraima was kindly -disposed to us, for we had splendid weather for -the climb—a grey, cool morning, followed by a -sunny, windless afternoon.</p> - -<p>The scene when one has at last scaled the cliff-face -of Roraima is fantastic and almost grotesque. -Little meets the eye save rock, which the weather -has blackened and worn into many weird shapes—a -dragon, a frog, and a couple of umbrellas, all of -rock, were conspicuous objects at the spot where -we camped for the night; but there is in general a -monotonous lack of differentiation in the rock-shapes, -making this rugged plateau a maze where -one would soon be lost, especially if mist settled -down on the mountain. Here and there are -stunted trees (<i>Bonnetia Roraimæ</i>): but all wood -on this bleak summit is so sodden with moisture -that it is difficult to kindle a respectable fire for -cooking purposes, and quite impossible to make -such a blaze as would keep out the cold. Water -is abundant, clear as crystal, and icy cold. We -found no really satisfactory camping-ground; but<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_208" id="Page_208">[208]</a></span> -Schoolmaster took us to the spot where, it would -appear, all those who before us had spent the night -on the top of Roraima took shelter. It was in the -middle of a big amphitheatre of crags, encircled -by what one might almost call waves of stone, -about five minutes’ walk from the edge of the -precipice. Here two large rocks converge at an -angle which gives protection from the prevailing -winds; and by spreading a tarpaulin over the gap -between them we made ourselves a rock-sided -tent, commodious enough to contain our two -camp-beds. Unfortunately, the floor was not dry -rock, but spongy, wet moss.</p> - -<div class="figcenter" style="width: 700px;"> -<img id="illus13" src="images/illus13.jpg" width="700" height="550" alt="" /> -<p class="caption"><span class="smcap">Camp on Mount Roraima.</span></p> -<p class="caption-r"><a href="#Page_208">To face page 208.</a></p> -</div> - -<p>Haywood had ready-made Bovril in his kettle, -and soon supplied us with a hot drink, after which -we made our arrangements for the night. -Directly the sun had disappeared, it felt desperately -cold, and we longed in vain for fires to warm -ourselves. At 6.15 p.m. the thermometer was -51° F.—not very low, of course, but when you are -used to a tropical climate it feels like freezing. -A fire can only be maintained by an Indian -squatting beside it and tending it all the time. -Even then it gives but little warmth. Mr. Menzies -arranged his tarpaulin in a place somewhat -similar to the one where we were camped; but<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_209" id="Page_209">[209]</a></span> -when the wind rose in the night he discovered to -his cost that the entrance to his cave-dwelling was -to windward. He sheltered (if “shelter” is the -word) Haywood, Joseph, and Daniel with him. -We gave our spare tarpaulin to the Arekunas, and -as many as could got behind it; but several preferred -the lee-side of our rock, where the poor -things chattered, shivered, and blew up fires all -night long. The night was clear, and Roraima -looked wonderful by moonlight, the fantastic -shapes around us being even stranger than by day. -We slept a little, not much; and I think that my -husband and I were the only ones of our party who -slept at all.</p> - -<p>Next day was gloriously fine. We rose at dawn -to find gusts of icy wind and wisps of cloud blowing -all over the place. Our naked Indians looked -numb with cold; and, as the few of them who -could boast of a shirt or trousers were not much -better off, my husband and I reluctantly decided -that it would be impossible for us to spend another -night on the mountain-top. It would have been -inhuman to expose all our company in this shelterless -place. Any party that may come hereafter, -really to examine Roraima’s summit, would have -to organize matters so as to let their Indians spend<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_210" id="Page_210">[210]</a></span> -the night in the forest below, and occupy the days -in bringing up firewood for them.</p> - -<p>We had, however, a few hours to spare, and we -spent them in exploring the vicinity of our camp. -From the edge of the cliff the panoramic view to -the south-west is vast and superb, the landscape -resembling a map in green plasticine with the -rivers shown in blue. All the hills we had toiled -over looked the merest little crinkles; but the -effect of that glorious stretch of open country is -wonderfully impressive; and as the sun, gaining -power, dispelled all mist, we revelled in the great -sweep of air and space in front of us. Our old -friend Chakbang was the only hill that looked -more than an earth-wrinkle, save for some huge -cliff-faced mountains miles away in Venezuela, -which must be as high, if not higher, than -Roraima. Roraima itself concealed Mount -Weitipu from our sight, and we could see hardly -anything of the line by which we had approached. -The call of the mountain was clearly to go on, on -to the Orinoco, but we could not obey. We had -reached the end of our tether, and from this point -the return journey began.</p> - -<p>To explore the summit of Roraima itself would -be a difficult task, and not without danger. It<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_211" id="Page_211">[211]</a></span> -would be unsafe to go any distance without white -paint, or some other means of marking one’s way; -for one would very soon be lost in the labyrinth of -extraordinary rock-forms, and, when mist or -cloud was on the mountain, it would be impossible -to see more than a very short distance ahead. We -clambered up to a point from which there was a -good view of the summit of Kukenaam. It -appeared to be the same fantastic jumble of black -weather-worn rock that surrounded us where we -stood, arranged in the same curious amphitheatres. -Then we set off in an endeavour to -reach the edge of the cliff between Roraima and -Kukenaam; but it is slow going where every step -is a climb either up or down. I soon gave up and -made my way leisurely back to camp, while my -husband pressed on. But he found a great chasm -across his path and had to turn back also. We -next visited the mark erected by Mr. C. W. -Anderson on his boundary survey, and walked to -the source of the Kamaiwa creek, which lay in the -trough of the rock-wave wherein our camp was -situated. There is a sort of fascination I cannot -describe in these silent waterholes, where the -eternal moisture of the “Father of Streams” -gathers on beds of white sand and shining<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_212" id="Page_212">[212]</a></span> -crystals. The stillness and the deadness of everything -was extraordinary, and yet somehow wonderfully -refreshing. There was not a trace of -animal life. In an eastern land Roraima would -have its “patient, sleepless eremite,” seeking -revelation in meditation amid its great silent -peace, “in height and cold, the splendour of the -hills.”</p> - -<p>At 10.30 a.m. we “breakfasted”; at 11.7 a.m. -we commenced the descent; and we reached -Kamaiwâwong without misadventure by 5.30 p.m. -The steepness of the descent made it almost as -slow a business as scrambling up had been. I did -a good deal of it by sitting down and then lowering -myself with the help of my hands. Mercifully -the forest trail was much improved by the -fact that all the droghers had climbed it after us, -so that the slippery moss had to a great extent -been trodden away, and we could see where to -put our feet. How the Arekunas managed to -negotiate that climb with loads on their backs -without breaking their legs is beyond our comprehension. -They were a good deal cut and -scratched, it is true; but their prehensile toes -saved them from more serious injury. Indians -catch hold by their toes in truly monkey fashion;<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_213" id="Page_213">[213]</a></span> -and, if a man drops anything on the line of march, -he picks it up with his toes and puts it into his -hand to avoid stooping. Our feet seemed stupid, -clumsy things by comparison. By the time I -reached the savannah slopes I was so very stiff that -I could only move slowly. These lovely savannahs -had all been set on fire by our men, and were -charred and grievous to see.</p> - -<p>At Kamaiwâwong we were received with great -acclamation. The village had, during our -absence, been repeopled. Evidently everyone -from far and near had come to see us, and there -was much excitement and, unfortunately, a great -desire to shake hands. The Arekunas would -seem to have thought that our arrival broke the -evil spell which the death of Jeremiah had cast -upon the place. They pulled away the earth-sods -that blocked the doorway of their late chief’s -banaboo, reoccupied both it and all the other -banaboos, and held evensong in the village -church, singing the same hymn and intoning the -same prayers which we had heard at Mataruka. -There was much cassiri-drinking and general -rejoicing; and as soon as it was dark the men -trooped out and set fire to the grass in a circle -round the village, to drive away all evil spirits, we<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_214" id="Page_214">[214]</a></span> -supposed. They danced round the fires they had -lit like madmen, in order to “send kenaima far.” -Next day a feast was held in honour of the reopening -of the village. Tekwonno, we gathered, -had never been really abandoned. Indeed, it is -more than likely that its inhabitants, having -news of our approach, with a large following of -Makusis, considered it prudent to evacuate Tekwonno -until, by observing us from the neighbouring -hills, they were satisfied of our peaceful -intentions.</p> - -<p>Roraima wore a cloud-cap during the evening, -so we congratulated ourselves on having decided -to come down; and during the night we saw the -wonderful effect of a brilliant moon lighting up -the gleaming clouds that rested on the black precipices -of the twin giants—our last view of them -from Kamaiwâwong, for next morning they were -quite invisible. We had an excellent night’s -rest, which I think we well deserved; and, having -blocked in with a tarpaulin a good deal more of -the sides of our banaboo, we were quite warm by -comparison with our experience of the previous -night.</p> - -<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_215" id="Page_215">[215]</a></span></p> - -<hr /> - -<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_216" id="Page_216">[216]</a></span></p> - -<h2 id="CHAPTER_XI">THE RETURN JOURNEY</h2> - -<hr /> - -<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_217" id="Page_217">[217]</a></span></p> - -<h3>CHAPTER XI<br /> -<span class="smaller">THE RETURN JOURNEY</span></h3> - -<div class="poetry-container"> -<div class="poetry"> -<div class="verse">Alas, that the longest hill</div> -<div class="verse">Must end in a vale; but still,</div> -<div class="verse">Who climbs with toil, wheresoe’er,</div> -<div class="verse">Shall find wings waiting there.</div> -<div class="verse right"><span class="smcap">H. C. Beeching.</span></div> -</div> -</div> - -<p>Many farewells and the bringing up of piles of -cassava for the support of our caravan delayed our -start from Kamaiwâwong on the return journey -to Mataruka. We had asked Schoolmaster to -send two men with us to bring back from Puwa -the salt and the cloth which was to be the recompense -of those Arekunas who had assisted us; but -instead of sending two men, Schoolmaster himself -and the entire party who had climbed Roraima -with us gaily accompanied our march back. It -was a delightful morning, with alternate showers -and sunshine and gloriously cool winds. We -retraced our steps until we were close to the spot -where we breakfasted on the 13th January, and -here we halted again for our midday meal at a -delicious spot under a big tree, sitting amidst -fragrant bracken and pretending to be in England.<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_218" id="Page_218">[218]</a></span> -The walk had unstiffened our muscles, -cramped by the long descent of the day before, -and we felt quite fit and fresh.</p> - -<p>Schoolmaster, who now acted as guide, applied -for permission to lead us back by a line different -from that which we had traversed on the outward -journey. We agreed; and in the end Schoolmaster -brought us to Mataruka by a trail which -interlaced with Joseph’s so as roughly to form the -figure 8. Our first divergence was to the left in -the direction of Weitipu; and plainly any trail -which avoided the long sweep to the west round -by the head-waters of the Chitu was likely to be a -short-cut. Then, after wheeling to the left, we -descended somewhat abruptly to a little plateau on -which stands Maurekmutta banaboo, the home of -a solitary Arekuna family. Here Schoolmaster -showed us another line running almost straight -towards Kamaiwâwong. It would probably have -been preferable to the one we had walked, and -might have saved some climbing. Why they had -not led us that way we could not make out; but, -of course, to an Indian time is of no importance, -unless he is hungry, and the tramp of half a dozen -extra miles is a mere trifle. No one was at home -in this banaboo.</p> - -<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_219" id="Page_219">[219]</a></span></p> - -<p>We next descended yet farther, until, after one -and a quarter hours’ march beyond the point of -divergence from Joseph’s trail, we reached and -forded the Arabupu (3,780 feet above sea-level). -Here we were met by quite a heavy shower of -cold rain. Twenty minutes later we crossed the -Gunguila, a confluent of the Arabupu; and -another ten minutes’ march brought us to the -brow of a hill, 4,060 feet above sea-level, -where it became evident that we were making -straight for the southern spur of Mount Weitipu -across the folds and rifts of a plateau. We could, -in fact, see our trail running ahead past the very -toe of Weitipu; but as, on descending, the path -followed a valley in the diametrically opposite -direction, we were reminded—and not for the -first time either—that Indian trails are like the -paths in the garden of the talking flowers in <i>Alice -through the Looking-Glass</i>, and that to get anywhere -you must turn and walk in the opposite -direction. We crossed two more small streams, -and then, after a further fifty-six minutes’ march, -we halted for the night on the right bank of the -Erkoy River, in a little copse, evidently the -recognized Indian camping-ground, and much -preferable to the bleak camp at Weiwötö on<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_220" id="Page_220">[220]</a></span> -Joseph’s trail. The Erkoy is another confluent -of the Arabupu, and from a little clump of trees -on a level terrace where we camped the ground -dropped away abruptly to the river. A steep -grass hill on the left bank protected us nicely on -the windward side, whilst the lee-side was open to -the savannah. In the watery rays of the evening -sun Roraima and Kukenaam stood clear for the -first time that day. We could no longer see the -south-western wall up which we had climbed, but -we had a splendid view of the south-eastern -escarpment. The clear, swift-running Erkoy -almost tempted us to bathe, but it was too cold to -venture. We had a fine night, though once or -twice, as the rush of the wind shook the tree-tops, -we woke up sufficiently to rejoice that we were -not on the exposed tableland. The Makusis -camped all round us, while the Arekunas slung -their hammocks in a clump of trees a little way -downstream.</p> - -<p>Next morning (18th January) was gloriously -fine, and we saw Roraima and Kukenaam for the -last time at close quarters, shining red in the -dawn. We forded the Erkoy, which flows swiftly -and came icy cold well over our knees; and then, -ascending the steep bank on the other side, we<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_221" id="Page_221">[221]</a></span> -found ourselves once more on a rolling plateau -with the trail we had seen passing over the toe of -Weitipu, now just ahead. I loved the walk over -the fresh grass of this shining tableland, amidst -the indescribable peace of its mighty silence. The -trail was almost level, save for little descents into -the channels of the many streams that come racing -down Weitipu’s steep flanks; and in the keen, -fresh morning air mere movement was a joy—different -indeed to one’s feelings on the low, hot -coast-lands! In succession we crossed the Kamaoura-wong, -two small swamps, the Tongkoy, and -the Sappi, all streams which tumble in picturesque -cascades from Weitipu; and after an hour’s march -we crossed the southern spur of Weitipu himself. -He is a very attractive mountain, majestic, but -without the bleak austerity of Roraima and -Kukenaam. His southern summit would afford -a splendid camping-ground, and several of his terraces -would make beautiful house-sites. In China -such a mountain would have been studded with -temples and monasteries, but I have never heard -of anyone climbing to the top of Weitipu. It -would not be difficult to do this, though rather -strenuous, and I should love to go back one day -and make the ascent. On the spur of Weitipu,<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_222" id="Page_222">[222]</a></span> -where we stood (4,100 feet above sea-level), -Schoolmaster showed us yet another trail—the -most direct of all—branching off to Kamaiwâwong!</p> - -<p>We then crossed two more streams—a small -one called the Apa, and a larger one called the -Perumak. The latter is fringed by forest, and is -probably identical with the river Maipa, crossed -by Joseph’s trail. A glorious grassy savannah -spreads out on both sides of this narrow strip of -woodland; and in it, just beyond the Perumak -ford, an hour’s march from the spur of Weitipu, -stands a solitary banaboo, near which the trail to -Tumong, by which Dr. Crampton travelled in -1911, branches off to the left. We kept to the -right, and eighteen minutes later reached the crest -of a ridge, which appears to form the divide -between the watershed of the Orinoco and of the -Amazon. At this point, therefore, we presumably -returned from Venezuela to Brazil. The -divide here is 3,860 feet above sea-level.</p> - -<p>We now descended into a charming valley, and, -after forty minutes’ march, halted for our midday -meal beside the Muruïna, a pretty little tributary -of the Kotinga. Once more we recognized the -jasper formation, and we established ourselves on<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_223" id="Page_223">[223]</a></span> -a tree-shaded ledge above a deep, clear pool. This -place is a recognized Arekuna camping-ground. -The creek is forded just above a waterfall, where -its two branches meet. Within the fork is a -copse, and at the season of our visit there ran -along the side of the stream a dry rock-ledge which -would form a roomy and level tent-floor. I -remember that, whilst we waited for Haywood’s -preparations, we regaled ourselves on the last of -the delicious pineapples, carried with us from -Kamaiwâwong. It tasted most especially nice -after our three hours’ walk.</p> - -<p>Another ascent and descent brought us, twenty -minutes after restarting, to the Tunâpun creek. -We crossed it, and thirty-eight minutes later we -had climbed to the top of the hill-ridge (3,670 feet -above sea-level), overlooking the full width of the -Kotinga valley right across to “Landmark -Peak.” This was the same hill-ridge that we had -climbed, much farther to the west, on the 12th -January; but the fierce midday sun had sucked -up all colour from the landscape, and it no longer -looked the fairyland which it had seemed on that -early morning. Now came an abrupt descent, -very warm work and lasting just an hour, to the -point where the Töpa creek is forded close by a<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_224" id="Page_224">[224]</a></span> -solitary banaboo. Suddenly our procession -halted. The magic word <i>waikin</i> was passed -along, and we all squatted down on the ground, -while Schoolmaster and Joseph stalked two big -deer not far away. Schoolmaster crept to within -point-blank range of one animal and fired. Alas! -his stock of powder and shot was practically -exhausted, so he had given his old fowling-piece -a most insufficient charge; and the deer, though -hit, bounded away uphill with its companion. -Behold Joseph and Schoolmaster racing after -them up the steep slope like a pair of dogs! They -rejoined us later very crestfallen; and Schoolmaster -gesticulated to me as graphic an account of -the whole business as ever disappointed sportsman -poured into the ear of sympathizing lady.</p> - -<p>For the rest of the day’s march the trail lay over -spacious undulating pasture-lands, crossing three -small streams, fringed by eta-palms; and, after -two and a quarter hours’ march from the Töpa -crossing, we reached and forded the Kotinga at -the same point as on our outward journey, thus -completing one loop of the figure 8. We then -made our way over rocks up a little ravine on the -left bank and camped in bush upon a small level -terrace at the edge of a brook. It was a nasty, -stuffy place, full of ants; but we cared little for -that, as we were practically free from the kabouru. -My husband unfortunately caught his foot in -some bush rope lying on the rocks and fell heavily, -breaking the little finger of his left hand, which -caused him great pain. The Kotinga valley, it -seems, was destined to be disagreeable to us.</p> - -<div class="figcenter" style="width: 700px;"> -<img id="illus14" src="images/illus14.jpg" width="700" height="300" alt="" /> -<p class="caption"><span class="smcap">Mount Weitipu from the left bank of the Kotinga River.</span></p> -<p class="caption-r"><a href="#Page_225">To face page 225.</a></p> -</div> - -<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_225" id="Page_225">[225]</a></span></p> - -<p>When, next morning, we emerged from our -ravine on to the brow of a bluff above the Kotinga, -we were delighted to see a most interesting and -novel aspect of Roraima, which was really rather -astonishing, for there had been no hint of such a -view either the evening before or on our outward -journey. The morning was gloriously clear, and -on the left, behind Weitipu, the south-eastern -face of Roraima projected clear and red, and -beyond that again Kukenaam’s southern end; -whilst on the right of Weitipu we saw plainly, not -only the other end of Roraima’s south-eastern -wall, but also a small and foreshortened portion of -the eastern escarpment. This view enabled us in -a small degree to grasp the enormous area of -Roraima. It is impossible to do so when opposite -one great wall only; for Roraima is an -immense, irregular quadrilateral, of which the -south-eastern side, ten miles in length, is the<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_226" id="Page_226">[226]</a></span> -longest, and the area of the summit, flanked all -round by precipices, cannot be less than fifty -square miles.</p> - -<p>From the Kotinga ford to the pass at “Landmark -Peak” Schoolmaster’s trail coincided with -Joseph’s, but from “Landmark Peak” to the -Rera valley we traversed a new line of country. -This time we swung off to the right, and we hoped -to be led along the ridge of the mountain amphitheatre -which encircles the Warukma and Karakanang -plateau. But an Indian trail is nothing -if not surprising. For the first half-hour we did -indeed continue on the high tableland at the same -altitude as the pass (3,150 feet above sea-level), -crossing two streams; but then we wheeled -sharply to the right, and, passing between two low -knolls, left the tableland by a narrow path skirting -round the contours of a hill and affording a view -over a sea of jagged peaks tumbled together without -apparent rhyme or reason. It was a most -astonishingly tangled-looking country, with valleys -running at angles to each other and hills flung -about pell-mell in the midst of them, as though -the powers engaged in making this place had got -tired of their work and flung it all down anyhow -and left it. The colouring, too, was curious, vivid<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_227" id="Page_227">[227]</a></span> -red, black, and green; for many fires had evidently -seared the countryside, the most recent leaving -black patches, which contrasted oddly with the -bright green of new grass springing up where the -land had peace, and with the red soil on the hillsides, -whence heavy rain had washed away the -black ash, but where as yet forgiving Nature had -not reasserted herself. For half an hour our path -clung to the hill-side, but it then gave that up as a -bad job and dropped abruptly into one of the narrow -valleys beneath. The prospect was certainly -not an inviting one. We consoled ourselves, however, -with the reflection that the divergence to the -right must have put us in a direct line for Mount -Mataruka. A short but heavy shower of rain -now drenched us to the skin; but it was welcome, -as relieving an unwonted sultriness of the atmosphere. -Round the base of the hill we curved, -climbed over a knoll in the valley, and so, after -three-quarters of an hour’s march, we came to the -left bank of a creek called the Walamwötö, presumably -a tributary of the Kotinga. Here we -pitched camp in a small winding valley (2,450 feet -above sea-level) by the side of a charming pool. -As we were establishing ourselves under our tarpaulin, -a storm of wind and rain almost blew it<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_228" id="Page_228">[228]</a></span> -away from its moorings, and six Makusis had to -hold it up on the weather side until the fierceness -of the gusts abated. We caused the ridge-pole to -be lowered considerably so as to afford less target -for the wind, and I was somewhat anxious about -the night. But after dark the weather became -beautifully still and clear, a full moon making -diamonds everywhere of the lingering rain-drops. -This was the only rain-storm of any moment -which we encountered from the day we left the -Kowatipu forest until the day of our return to it. -During the whole of the rest of our savannah -journey we enjoyed superb weather, sunny, -breezy, cool, and rainless, save for occasional -Scotch mist upon the hill-tops.</p> - -<p>We rose very early next day (20th January), -and broke our fast by lamplight. But the sun -soon rose clear and very hot, and I realized that -the strenuous exertions of the five preceding days -without a rest were beginning to tell on me. So -the start did not find me very fresh. An hour’s -march in narrow winding ravines, followed by a -short climb over a long black-bouldered slope, -brought us to James’s banaboo (2,720 feet above -sea-level), perched upon a hill-top. The inhabitants -came out in a string to greet us, and the<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_229" id="Page_229">[229]</a></span> -second man in the line, as he shook my hand (the -ceremony none of them will forego), ejaculated -questioningly “Mamma?” and all his companions -echoed the cry. It must be seldom, if ever, that a -white woman is seen by these people. The view -from this lonely banaboo was certainly enchanting; -but, alas! no tableland such as we had hoped -to see lay unrolled before us, only a fresh tangle of -hills and valleys; and, though the country looked -most interesting, it also looked very arduous. -Moreover, there ensued an argument between -Joseph and Schoolmaster as to the right road -onwards, and we wondered whether they really -knew the way, or were merely proceeding by trial -and error. The long ridge of tableland, over the -crest of which we had hoped to travel when we -turned aside from Joseph’s line at “Landmark -Peak,” looked most provoking away to the left. -At length our guides reconciled their difference, -whatever it may have been, and led us three hundred -feet downwards over a broad hill-shoulder -across a small stream. Then, after a long, -gradual ascent over another broad hill-shoulder, -we came to the top of a commanding hill, -2,960 feet above sea-level. Here indeed we were -comforted, for we saw again Mount Mataruka,<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_230" id="Page_230">[230]</a></span> -and realized that we were making for it by a much -more direct line than if we had returned through -Enamung. Besides, a nice undulating ridge lay -before us, and the view was grand. We could -see a magnificent expanse of country on all sides. -Far, far behind lay Weitipu, with Roraima and -Kukenaam at his back, bidding us a last good-bye. -We saw them no more after this. I wonder if we -ever shall again! On the right we had an excellent -view of our former line of journey, the -plateau of the Karakanang and the grassy peaks -of Enamung, as well as of a big waterfall shining -white in the distance, whither our outward journey -had unfortunately not led us. Our guides -said that it was a fall on the Wairann; and at close -quarters it must be a fine sight, for even at a distance -of about seven miles it was a striking -feature in the landscape. At this point we were -one hour and six minutes’ march from James’s -banaboo.</p> - -<p>We continued for another forty minutes along -the crest of the hill-ridge, enjoying intensely the -glorious scenery, and finally reaching a point -(2,810 feet above sea-level) whence, beyond a cleft -in the hills, cut athwart our line of march by the -Karakanang River, we could see the long, straight<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_231" id="Page_231">[231]</a></span> -line of the Paiwa valley, down which lay our forward -path. Fifty minutes’ sharp descent, largely -through forest, then brought us to a ford of jasper -slabs over the Karakanang (1,960 feet above sea-level). -Here we made our midday meal, and -thereafter we ascended the valley of a brook, -which falls into the Karakanang at the ford; and, -climbing over some hillocks shut in between high -hill-ranges on both sides, we came, after an hour -and a half, to the Paiwa River (2,210 feet above -sea-level), down which our trail then ran for three -and a half hours’ actual march. It was most fascinating -scenery. The turquoise-blue Paiwa in -its rose-pink bed (for the blood-red jasper -weathers on the surface to pink) flowed clear as -crystal through opal-green pools and in rippling -white cascades, whilst shade trees, dotted here -and there, relieved the glare of the brilliant light. -Beneath one such tree, seated on pink sand close -to the edge of the stream, we enjoyed our usual -tea halt. The sides of the valley are seamed with -confluent brooks, many of which had water even -at this height of the dry season. In wet weather -the smiling stream must be a very torrent.</p> - -<p>At first the Paiwa had all the appearance of -making for the Ireng; but at a point a little more<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_232" id="Page_232">[232]</a></span> -than halfway in that part of its course which we -followed it turned abruptly off to the south and -swept past Mount Pakara to join the Kotinga. -Towards sunset we crossed to its left bank, where -was a broad level stretch of sand, evidently a -favourite Indian camping-ground, but rather a -disappointing one to me, as there was a rift in the -jasper formation just here, and the stream merely -gurgled over quite ordinary stones, while the sand -was a commonplace white. Moreover, the steep -hill-side across the stream had been hideously -burnt, and there were evidences of recent Indian -encampment and of fish-poisoning in the river. -Indians are an admirable people in many ways, -but they scarcely deserve their goodly heritage, -since all that they do for their beautiful country is -to poison the fish in its exquisite streams and to -disfigure the fair hills by continual grass-burning.</p> - -<p>Next day we ate our porridge and drank our -coffee before dawn, as the moon sank behind the -trees. Then, after following the river for a short -distance, we climbed up through a copse to where -a banaboo was perched on a bluff, the Paiwa below -making a right-angled turn, so that those who live -here have an excellent vantage-ground whence -they can watch all wayfarers whether up or down<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_233" id="Page_233">[233]</a></span> -stream. At the banaboo we found Schoolmaster -and his Arekunas, who had evidently spent the -night there, leaving the Makusis with us; and -after a short colloquy Joseph led us down into the -Paiwa valley once more. The Arekunas remained -behind, and made for Mataruka by that line of -their own which Joseph had graphically described -as “Mountain-top, mountain-top, mountain-top,” -on the day of our trek to Enamung.</p> - -<p>The Paiwa, which had grown to a considerable -size, now reverted again to a jasper bed, fringed -this time with eta-palms, and looking prettier than -ever. We walked along its bank most of the -way; but at times the valley would close in to a -gorge and the river run in cataracts, while we -would have to climb over rocky bluffs. At last -we crossed the blue waters of this pleasant river -for the last time, and finally quitted the Paiwa -watershed. Our trail now wound away to the -left, choosing most cleverly a low divide, and then -equally cleverly winding in and out on the level -round the spur of our old friend Kumâraying, -until we found ourselves in the Rera plain once -more. It would have been a pretty path but for -the desolation and destruction wrought by fire. -Some men ahead of us actually started two<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_234" id="Page_234">[234]</a></span> -fresh fires, which were fiercely burning as we -passed.</p> - -<p>At the special request of our people we went -to Joseph’s banaboo for our midday meal. His -wife provided us with abundance of delicious fresh -eggs, and I confess, without any desire to teach -my grandmother, that at times the best way of -eating eggs is to suck them. A few minutes’ -walk brought us back to the trail by which we had -travelled on our outward journey, so completing -the second loop in the figure 8. We now followed -our former line of march the rest of the way back -to Mataruka village, where we were warmly received -by Albert and the inhabitants. The Arekunas -we passed at a brook a few minutes from -the village, busily engaged in washing and painting -their faces afresh. They then made a state -entry behind us, beating a tom-tom.</p> - -<p>The rest of our travels needs no description, for -the line of our homeward march was identical with -that of our outward journey. The distance -between Mataruka and Kamaiwâwong by -Joseph’s trail was a march of thirty-two hours -forty-seven minutes; and the return journey -between the same villages by Schoolmaster’s trail -was a march of thirty-two hours fifty-one minutes,<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_235" id="Page_235">[235]</a></span> -of which eleven hours twenty-eight minutes were -occupied in retraversing those parts of the route -where the two trails were identical—namely, the -Kukenaam valley, the ascent from the Kotinga -ford to “Landmark Peak,” and the line from -Rera to Mataruka. There is, therefore, little to -choose between the two routes. Both mean five -stages of rather more than six hours’ march a day. -Schoolmaster’s line was slightly more direct, but -Joseph’s was appreciably less arduous.</p> - -<p>We reached Georgetown, after forty-six days’ -absence, on the 3rd February, 1916, resting on -the way back for one day at Mataruka, one day on -the Karto tableland, and one day at Kaietuk. -There was a new and lovely note of colour on the -Potaro; for the river was lit up by a beautiful pink -blossom (<i>Syphonia globifera</i>) all along the banks, -very much like peach-blossom in appearance and -in its manner of growing on a leafless tree. Also -there was much more water going over Kaietuk -than when we passed upstream; and magnificent -was the amber swirl that descended, to change -into gleaming spray flashing like diamonds, as it -fell into the black depths. Grey-green cascades -dashed down the crags on all sides, flashing out -of the mists that lay heavy on the summits, to<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_236" id="Page_236">[236]</a></span> -mingle with the blossom-strewn river—a country -for Undine indeed!</p> - -<p>So our brief journey in the mountains ended, -alas! below sea-level; nor did we “find wings -waiting there,” for the aeronautical service of the -British Guiana Government is as yet only an -aspiration.</p> - -<hr /> - -<div class="figcenter" style="width: 300px;"> -<a href="images/map.jpg"><img id="illus15" src="images/illus15.jpg" width="300" height="150" alt="" /></a> -<p class="caption">Route from<br /> -HOLMIA IN BRITISH GUIANA TO MT. RORAIMA</p> -</div> - -<hr /> - -<div class="figcenter" style="width: 300px;"> -<a href="images/diagram2.jpg"><img src="images/diagram2-small.jpg" width="300" height="165" alt="" /></a> -<p class="caption">SECTION OF COUNTRY TRAVERSED BETWEEN KAIETTUK FALL, ON THE POTARO RIVER, AND MT RORAIMA</p> -<p class="caption">Horizontal Scale 1/2,000,000. Vertical Scale exaggerated 50 times.</p> -</div> - -<hr /> - -<div class="footnotes"> - -<h2>FOOTNOTES</h2> - -<div class="footnote"> - -<p><a name="Footnote_1" id="Footnote_1"></a><a href="#FNanchor_1"><span class="label">[1]</span></a> <i>Kaieteur</i> is a mistake for <i>Kaietuk</i>. <a href="#Page_75">See p. 75.</a></p> - -</div> - -<div class="footnote"> - -<p><a name="Footnote_2" id="Footnote_2"></a><a href="#FNanchor_2"><span class="label">[2]</span></a> <i>Vide</i> his article in <i>Timehri</i>, vol. ii., 3rd series (1912), p. 18.</p> - -</div> - -<div class="footnote"> - -<p><a name="Footnote_3" id="Footnote_3"></a><a href="#FNanchor_3"><span class="label">[3]</span></a> Cf. <i>Timehri</i>, vol. iv. (1885), “The First Ascent of -Roraima,” p. 23, where Sir E. im Thurn, writing of Roraima -and Kukenaam, says: “Rarely did we see the scene quite -clear, a fact which, as the Indians were never tired of explaining -to us, was owing to the habit of the mountain—<i>they -regard both mountains as one</i>—of veiling itself whenever -approached by white men.”</p> - -</div> - -</div> - -<p class="titlepage">PRINTED IN GREAT BRITAIN BY<br /> -BILLING AND SONS, LIMITED,<br /> -GUILDFORD AND ESHER</p> - - - - - - - - -<pre> - - - - - -End of the Project Gutenberg EBook of Through British Guiana to the summit -of Roraima, by Mrs. Cecil Clementi - -*** END OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK THROUGH BRITISH GUIANA TO RORAIMA *** - -***** This file should be named 62513-h.htm or 62513-h.zip ***** -This and all associated files of various formats will be found in: - http://www.gutenberg.org/6/2/5/1/62513/ - -Produced by MFR and the Online Distributed Proofreading -Team at https://www.pgdp.net (This file was produced from -images generously made available by The Internet Archive) - -Updated editions will replace the previous one--the old editions will -be renamed. - -Creating the works from print editions not protected by U.S. copyright -law means that no one owns a United States copyright in these works, -so the Foundation (and you!) can copy and distribute it in the United -States without permission and without paying copyright -royalties. 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