Canoe and Camp Life in British Guiana ... With map and illustrations

Preface

. During the time I was travelling in the interior of British Guiana, apart from my official work I noted down each evening any incidents that occurred during the day. In this volume I have set down those incidents in the order in which they took place, together with the routes followed, and so present them to the reader in the hope that they may be found worthy of perusal. I have confined myself exclusively to a relation of the above, not touching upon that part of my work relating to the Physical Features and Descrip tive Geology of the Colony, the reports upon which have already been published by the order of the Lofds Commissioners of Her Majesty's Treasury. The accompanying map is based upon that of Schomburgk, to which has been added sketch sur veys of the Potaro, Siparuni, Burro-burro, New and 4- VI

PREFACE.

. Mazaruni rivers, the points on the latter having been determined by observations for latitude and longitude. The course of my journeys is marked on the map by a blue line, so that the reader will have no difficulty in tracing it out. London, June, 1876. CONTENTS. CHAPTEE I. TO THE CUYTJNI RIVER. Guiana — Demerara — The Interior — Embark Indian Crews — Ascend Estuary of the Essequebo — Bartika Grove — River People — Penal Settlement Page 1

Chapter II. On The Cuytjni

Leave Penal Settlement — First Rapids — River Scenery — Shooting Fish — Iguana — The Gold Mine — Lowlow Fish — Meet Indians — Woodskins — Birds — Weynamou — Send back Boat — Manufacture of Cassava — Labba — Indian Pepper-pot — Banaboos — Shooting Cataracts — Camp at Puruni Path — Sudden death of an Old Indian — Indian dying from Secret Poisoning 8

Chapter III. Down The Puruni

March out of Camp — Indian Path — Ticks — Camp in Forest — Tricked by Guide — Fleas and Jiggers in unoccupied House — Mogoose — Wind Storm — Start down Cartoonie in Canoes — Otters — Get jammed under Log — Humming-bird Nests — Reach Puruni River — Maam — Stung by Ants — Kill a Capybara — Scorpions — Reach the Mazaruni 34

Chapter IV. Up The Mazaruni

Cowenamou — Tale of Poisoning — -Indians poison Pool for Fish — Our Boats arrive — Continue Journey up Mazaruni — Ascend Issano Creek — Mysterious Sound — Sponges — Sororieng — Red Howlers — Ouranapai — Indian Dances — Attacked by Warricaba Tigers — From Carabung to the Upper Mazaruni — Proceed in Canoes to Apiopai — Starvation — Collect Provisions — Return to Carabung — Adventure with Bushmasters — Regain our Boats — Ascend Mazaruni to Peaimah — The Didi — Descend Mazaruni CONTENTS.

Chapter V. Up The Essequebo To Roraima

Leave Penal Settlement — Indian Picture-writing — Rappu Bamboo — Apoterie — Enter Rupununi — Catch Cayman — Reach Pirara Landing — Visited by Macusis — Start on Walking Journey — Cross Ireng — Ant-hills — Enter Valley in Pacaraima Mountains — Festival at Enamouta — Scarcity of Water — Send back most of Party to Karakanang — Adventure with Ant-bear — Cross Cotinga River — Human-like Cries — Arrive at Roraima — Leave Roraima — Strauge Bleeding Process — Armadillos — Return to Pirara Landing .. .. Page 91

Chapter VI. To Pirara And The Ireng

Karinambo — Vampire Bats — Sketch of Brazilian Capture of Pirara in 1840 — Snipe in Pipicho Morass — Descend Rupununi to Mora — Walk across Mountains to Ireng River — Peai-ing — Indian Belief — Indian Warfare — Stone Circle — Descend Rupununi — Obtain Breech-loading Cannon — Indian Murderer at Apoterie — Descend Essequebo to Penal Settlement 133

Chapter VII. Up The Rewa And Quitaro Rivers

Ascend Rewa — Enter Quitaro — Wapisiana Indians — Visit Ataraipu — Mysterious Sound — Quata Monkeys — Perai — Bush-hog Hunts — Start on Journey over Quitaro Savanna — Fly Pests — Wapisiana Salutations — Atorai Indian Village — Carawaimintow Mountain — Paiworie Drinking Bout — Monkey Hunt — Visit Shea Rock — Black Bees — Farinha — Rattlesnake — Return to Boat — Descend Quitaro on Homeward Journey 148

Chapter VIII. Up The Burro-burro, And Across To The Potaro

Leave Settlement — Ascend Siparuni — Water-boas — King Vultures — Poisonous Water-snake — Ascend Burro-burro — Game — Surama — Bell-birds — Porcupine — Visit Annai — Have Shot at Tiger — Start on Journey to the Potaro — Indian Legends — Cara-cara — Monoorie Ants — Owenteik — Indian Game — Frog Pits — Kibihies — Enapowou — Descend Potaro — Discover Kaieteur Great Fall — Partamona Indian Village — Reach Tumatamari — Arrive at Settlement .. .. CONTENTS. IX

Chapter IX. Kaieteur Fall

Difficulties of Ascent of Potaro River — Walk from Landing to Foot of Kaieteur — Take Measurements of Height of Fall — Legend of Origin of Name of the Fall — Swallows — Views — Visit Basin at Foot of Kaieteur — Difficulties of Approach — Descend Potaro — Arrive at Georgetown — Table of Measurements Page 209

Chapter X. To Amailah Fall And The Upper Essequebo

Leave Georgetown — Ascent of the Curiebrong — Visit Amailah — Cocks of the Rock — Return to Essequebo — Funeral Dance at Apoterie — Adventures with Cayman — King William IV.'s Fall — Manarowah Fall — Make Portage — Shoot a Tapir — Habit of Jaguar — Sand-wasps — Arrive at Village of Taruma Indians — Maopityans — Reach farthest Point attainable — Haimara — Descend Essequebo — Dangerous Cataracts — Meet our Provision Boat — Reach Apoterie — Joined by Mr. Pollard 224

CHAPTER XL UP THE COTINGA.

Ascend Rupununi — Christmas Day — Walk to Takutu — River Porpoises — Spoonbills — Ascend Ireng to Pirara River — Cross over to Aringwong — Descend Takutu to Cotinga — Ascend Cotinga — Black Flies — Savanna Fox — Meet Wapisianas — Journey Northward — Amusing Scene crossing the Karnang — Ascent of Ireng — Orindouie Fall — Return — Indian Huntsmen — Descend Cotinga — Wild Cattle — Fort St. Joaquim — Return to Karinambo 257

Chapter XII. Over The Takutu Savanna

At Karinambo — Walk to the Takutu — From the Takutu to Cursato — Ascent of Cursato Mountain — Chase Ant-bear — Pinniyettinow — From the Takutu to the Rupununi — Double Snipe — Cartunariba — Coolie — Down the Rupununi — Visit Chewow River — Leave Karinambo and descend Rupununi — Ascend Essequebo to Primos Inlet — Cross through Forest to Berbice River — Descend Essequebo to Penal Settlement 301 h X CONTENTS.

Chapter XIII. On The Corentyne

Journey to Skeldon — Oreala — Description of Journey on the Corentyne — Discovery of New River — Jaguars and Pumas — Mode of hunting them with Dogs — Scarcity of Indians — Game — Perai — Haimara — Sting Rays — Trees in Flower — Monkeys breaking Brazil Nuts — Mosquito Worms — Fraternity of Wasps, Ants, and Mocking Birds — Attack on Tamrian Ants by Ecitons — Return to Skeldon Page 326

Chapter XIV. Berbice And Demerara Rivers

Leave New Amsterdam — Description of Journey up Berbice, across to Demerara River, and down to Couchman's — Toads eat Fire — River Shells — Roaring of Jaguars — Tapir rushes through Camp — Shoot Quata Monkey — Archway of Ants — Scenery on Berbice — Reach Georgetown 359

Chapter XV. The Upper Mazaruni

Lgave Georgetown — Reach Peaimah Fall — Difficult Portage at Aruwai Falls — Sericoeng Falls — Difficulty in obtaining Woodskins — Send back Boats to the Merume River — Pass " Starvation Landing " of Apiopai — Mysterious Footprints — Deep Pools the Haunts of Tigers — Guacharos Cave — Waterfall on Roraima — Chichi Portage — Ayangcanna — Journey from Haiacker to Ourindouie Fall on the Ireng — Return — Ow-weang Portage — Cross Mountains to Merume — Descent of Merume Mountain — Rejoin our Boats on Merume River — Descend Mazaruni — Arrive in Georgetown LIST OF ILLUSTRATIONS. No. 1. Kaieteur Pall Frontispiece 2. Hauling up a Cataract To face page 10 3. Karinambo „ 108 4. Eoraima ' „ 122 5. Shooting Bush-hogs „ 155 6. An Encampment „ 174 7. Cowarie and Sarquah (Macusis) „ 263 8. Wonotobo Middle Fall „ 328 9. Caymans „ 3W 10. Sericoeng and Atangike „ 382 Map At end CANOE AND CAMP LIFE IN BRITISH GUIANA.

Chapter I. To The Cuyuni River

Guiana — Demerara — The Interior — Embark Indian Crews — Ascend Estuary of the Essequebo — Bartika Grove — River People — Penal Settlement. Within the Torrid Zone, and forming the northern portion of South America, lies the wonderful country of Guiana, now divided into five portions, known respectively as Venezuelan, British, Dutch, French, and Brazilian Guiana. British Guiana — the only possession of Great Britain on the whole South American continent — is better known to the world at large as " Demerara," from its capital (Georgetown), being situated at the mouth of a river of that name. The civilized and cultivated portion of the colony lies only along a narrow strip of sea-coast. Behind this are swamps, then wooded rising ground, and finally mountains and savannas stretching southwards, all lying in a state of nature, the haunts of wild animals and various Indian tribes.

This portion, between the I! Chap. I. TO THE CDYUNI RIVER. rear of the sugar estates and the confines of the colony, is known as the "Interior"; and, with the exception of a few settlements on the banks of the lower Berbice, Demerara, and Essequebo rivers, it remains to-day in the same state as in the time of Raleigh. Whilst engaged as geologist on the Government geological survey of the West Indies, it fell to my lot to visit and explore much of this interior region ; and in these pages I have attempted to recount the inci dents that occurred during those explorations. The first journey, performed by my colleague, Mr. Sawkins, and myself, had been over the north-western portion of the colony, towards the mouth of the Orinooko, on the Pomeroon, Waini, Barama, and Barima rivers. As the only mode of travelling, when the narrow fringe of cultivated land is left, is by water, and occasionally by Indian paths, we had jour neyed in our own boats upon the above-named rivers, furnished with crews of civilized Arowaak, Warrow and Ackawoise Indians, by Mr. McClintock, of the Pomeroon.

Thinking that these Indians would serve as boat crews on the large rivers of the interior, we had again applied to Mr. McClintock to re-engage them, and were now about to proceed down the coast in a hired sloop to meet them at Anna Regina sugar estate — a place to the north-westward of the mouth of the Essequebo river. On the 14th of August, 1868, as the sun was dipping behind the long distant band of courida trees, which line the low western shore of the mouth of the Demerara, the hawsers of the sloop "Swift" were cast off from Kingston Wharf, and, close-hauled on a Chap. I. RUN AGROUND. fresh north-east trade breeze, she glided out of the river's mouth, past the old fort, to the sea. Gaining a good offing the sheets were eased out, and away the old craft went on a north -westerlv course, soon leaving the lights of Georgetown far behind.

After a pipe or two I felt the drowsy effects of the soft sea breeze, and stretching myself on the after hatch-cover pro cured a sort of broken sleep. Just before daybreak the captain — a negro — in formed me that in his opinion we were quite up to, if not past, our place of call ; and as there were no landmarks on the dim coast-line to show him his whereabouts, he would run in shore a bit. He was preparing to do so when the sloop struck heavily on a sand-bank, bumped along, and then became stationary. When daylight came we found that we were not within ten miles of " Anna Regina," and that as the tide was running out rapidly, the sloop would remain a hopeless fixture till it rose again. We took a boat and pulled along near the coast until we arrived opposite the long wooden pier or stellingof Anna Regina estate, from the end of which we were separated by a most uninviting stretch of mud flats.

There we sat in a broiling sun for two hours, until the tide crept slowly up over the great glistening stretch of gray sea bottom, and floated our boat landwards, foot by foot. On gaining the shore we found the seventeen Indians and a Portu guese, hired by Mr. McClintock, waiting for us. When the tide rose sufficiently high to float the sloop she got under way, and in the afternoon came up to the pier. We embarked the Indians and left for the mouth of the Essequebo, arriving at Spring Garden k TO THE CUYUNI RIVER. Chap. I. at midnight. During the small hours of the morning I awoke, feeling feverish ; and landing at daylight went to the house of my friend, the late Mr. G. Bascom, then proprietor of Spring Garden sugar estate. My attack of fever lasted two clays and prevented my accompanying Mr. Sawkins on a journey up the Supinam creek.

Three of our Indians also suffered from a similar attack of fever aud influenza. On the 24th we left Spring Garden with our four boats. Two of these were tent-boats, and one a long, narrow, dug-out canoe. Paddling along near the muddy tree-clothed margin of the river we wended our way in a southerly direction up the broad estuary of Essequebo ; and at nightfall camped in the forest on the edge of a sandy bay, hanging our hammocks to trees for the night. In this land of palms, within seven de grees of the equator, the thermometer out of the sun's rays seldom falls below 73° or rises above 85° ; so that near the sea level one can sleep in a hammock in the open air without any inconvenience, except when the dew is particularly heavy or a rain storm comes on. A light canvas awning, spread on a ridge pole over the hammock, is a sufficient protection against these evils.

When a person goes on a long journey through the wilds of a tropical country, he must take every reasonable precaution to protect his health, for there are times when a drenching rain will bring on a sharp attack of fever. We spent two days upon a small tributar}- called Groote creek, and then proceeded on our journey up the Essequebo, reaching Bartika Grove at noon on the 28th. Chap. I. BART1KA GROVE. 5 Bartika Grove is a small village, situated on a low level point of land facing the north, at the junction of the Mazaruni river with the Essequebo, at a distance of some 45 miles from the mouth of the latter. It has one grass-grown street along the river's edge, shaded with mango trees, a good church, a few wooden houses, and a lot of thatched huts. The inhabitants of this place and the neighbourhood are chiefly a mixed race, the descendants of the progeny of Indians, negroes, and the early Dutch settlers.

They are short in stature, dark-skinned as a rule, strongly built, and very hardy. Amongst the cataracts of the rivers, where the navigation is extremely difficult and dan gerous, these men are quite at home, and display great skill and courage in guiding boats safely up and down them. They have small settlements, here and there, along the west bank of the tidal portion of the Esse quebo, westwardly along the south bank of the Maza runi to the head of the tide, and along its west bank above its junction with the Cuyuui river. They are an exclusive set of people, and gain a livelihood by working timber punts for the wood-cutting establish ments in the neighbourhood, or as sailors in the small craft carrying granite from the quarries at Palmer's Point and the Penal Settlement to Georgetown. On landing we went to the house of Mr. Grant, the magistrate of the district, who assisted us in procuring the services of Peterson and other river men, to act as steersmen and paddlers up the Cuyuni river, whither we were then bound.

After leaving the Grove we paddled along in shore for about a mile and a half against the strong tide setting down the Mazaruni, and Chap. I. TO THE CUYUNI RIVER. then crossed over to the Penal Settlement. This establishment is situated on rising ground on the north side of the Mazaruni, and with its neatly-kept buildings and rows of mango and other trees, has a very pretty appearance from the river. It is a prison for all those convicts of the colony whose term of confinement is of long duration. The Visiting Commissioner's house having been placed at our disposal by the Government Secretary before leaving Georgetown, we lauded with the permission of the superintendent, my esteemed and lamented friend, the late Captain Kerr, and took up our quarters in it for the night. From its wide verandah in front there is a fine view looking east clown the.

Mazaruni and across the broad Essequebo, iu which the wide expanse of water is relieved by a cluster of small islands. Most of our Indians would not remain at the Penal Settlement, where there were lots of sheds for them to hang their hammocks, but going across to the other side of the river, camped in the forest. One of them was still very ill with fever, and the doctor of the prison wished him to be taken to the hospital, where he could be properly nursed, but nothing would induce him to go. These Indians are of such a timid nature, and have so great a love of freedom, that the very name of prison sounds terrible in their ears. For the next three days we were completely in the hands of the river men, with old Peterson at their head. They condemned the long canoe as unfit for traversing cataracts, and our Indians as useless, from their want of knowledge of the kind of work before us.

Chap. I. PURCHASE BOAT. We agreed to bow to their decision regarding the canoe, but adhered to our determination to keep the Indians and give them a trial at any rate. Being in a fix, therefore, about a boat to replace the canoe, we were induced to buy the only one for sale in the district. After the purchase was made it was put in the hands of the Settlement boat-builder to caulk, and was found to require extensive repairs. As it would take some days to perform this work, we left a crew to bring on the boat and join us at the "Gold Mine," some thirty miles up the Cuyuni. ON THE CUYUNI. Chap. II.

Chapter II. On The Cuyuni

Leave Penal Settlement — First Rapids — River Scenery — Shooting Fish — Iguana — The Gold Mine — Lowlow Fish — Meet Indians —Woodskins — Birds — Weynamou — Send back Boat — Manufacture of Cassava — Labba — Indian Pepper-pot — Banaboos — Shooting Cataracts — Camp at Puruni Path — Sudden death of an old Indian — Indian dying from Secret Poisoning. With our three boats we left the Settlement on the morning of the 1st of September. Each boat was now furnished with a bowman and steersman, who, with our Indian paddlers, made a total of twenty men. Proceeding along the north side of the river, we soon entered the mouth of the Cuj-uni— a fine river, some three-quarters of a mile in width — and passing some islands during the forenoon reached the first rapids. There, of course, the influence of the tide was no longer felt, and the skill of both bowmen and steersmen was brought into play.

Each was provided with a large paddle with a blade some three feet long, and a handle of equal length. The bowman stood in the bow, and using his paddle like a lever, kept the boat's prow up stream at a sharp angle, whilst the steersman held as it were against him on the opposite side of the boat at the stern. The paddlers gave way, beginning a short distance below the foot of the rapid on one side of the channel with a Chap. II. ASCEND RAPIDS. strong but slow stroke, getting quicker and quicker as they proceeded, and as the boat mounted up it was carried sideways across to the opposite edge. When the rapid was small the boat was then above it ; but when wide the bow was deftly turned so as to catch the force of the current on the other side, and the boat propelled across diagonally to the opposite shore of the channel.

As the boat got above the strong grasp of the rush of water to the level on top she bounded forward, when the paddlers changed the stroke at once to a few long pulls, and then rested awhile. When the rapid was very strong this mode of procedure did not succeed, and the boat fell back in spite of every effort. Then the men drew her to the rocks on the side of the channel and got out the tow-rope — a 3-inch tarred hemp — and hauled her up in shallow water, some men holding on alongside to guide her. Where the river flows smoothly it is deep, and if without large islands is in one broad channel ; but where its passage is obstructed by bars of rock, forming rapids or cataracts, it widens out amongst rocks, rocky islets, and shallows, to an immense width. Of the various channels into which it then splits there is always one large or main one, and this is the one usually followed by the boatmen when the river is low.

On the other hand, when it is in flood, the smaller channels are sought. These channels are usually full of pointed rocks, some above, and some just beneath the surface, so that it requires great skill on the part of the steersman to evade them. We had paddled up two rapids and hauled up three, Chap. II. ON THE CUYUNI. when Mr. Sawkins found that his crew of ArowTaaks were not sufficiently acquainted with the work to wade and swim in strong currents, and that it was dangerous to proceed with them. Putting the boats' heads down stream we ran the rapids we had ascended to their foot, and there held a consultation as to our next move, which resulted in iny going back to the Settlement that afternoon and returning next day with six river men in place of an equal number of the Indians whom we sent off to their homes.

The river men worked splendidly in the cataracts, swimming, diving, and wading in the strong currents from rock to rock, while leading out the tow-ropes and hauling the boats up. During our journey up this river we encountered in many parts a succession of rapids and cataracts. At the latter the contents of the boats had sometimes to be carried across, and the boats them selves hauled over the rocks on the thick covering of aquatic plants. The most formidable cataract we en countered was the " Style Fall," which is about eight feet in height, and is produced by the river flowing over a bar of whitish granite. The scenery on the river is pretty, but no views of any extent are disclosed. The chief features ob servable are intervals of comparatively still water lying between large, low, irregularly-shaped rocky areas, cut up by wide channels of foaming water, where the river rushes over granite or gneiss obstruc tions.

Each level patch is higher than the last by a few inches when a rapid intervenes, and by two or three feet where a cataract occurs. On the rocky islands where soil has accumulated are clusters of low HAULING UP _ A CATARACT Chap. II. 11 AQUATIC PLANTS. trees of various sorts, the stems and large branches of which are covered with various parasitic plants, orchids, and wild pines. The forest trees on the main banks of the river are of' different kinds aud larger growths than those on the rocky islets, being chiefly moras (Mora excelsa). In cracks in the rocks the stunted water guava (Psidium fluviatile) sends its roots and thrives ; whilst on the rocks under water where the current runs strongest is a luxuriant growth of various sorts of aquatic plants (Lacis sps.). These plants bear very pretty flowers at this season of the year as soon as they are left uncovered by the subsiding of the waters after the rainy season, but still kept moist by the wash of the water's edge.

One small-leaved species has a little white star-shaped flower, on a short delicate stem, which has a slight perfume, and proves an attraction to numerous species of wild bees. Another kind with large coarse crisp leaves, growing amongst the cataracts on the upper part of the river, presents a most beautiful sight when in flower. It has tall flower stems over a foot in height, of a greenish colour, and, though thick, of a plumose form. The flowers of a delicate pink colour burst out along the edges of the upper portion of the stalk from half-way up to the top. It sends up its flowrer stalks when the water covers its leaves to a depth of three or four inches, so that there are large shallow water areas thickly studded with these beautiful flowers. When the sun is high numerous butterflies, chiefly of various shades of yellowand orange, flit about over the open spaces amongst the cataracts, or sit in clusters L2 Chap. II.

ON THE CUYUNI. near the water's edge. The beautiful azure blue butter fly (Morphos) is also seen, but its favourite haunts are the narrow side streams. Our men frequently shot deep-bodied, silvery-scaled fish, called cartabac (Tetragonopterus lotus), and another somewhat similar fish, called pacu (Myletes pacu). The male of the latter has a lar<ie deep body of a dull goldfish colour, while the female is of a dull bluish brown. Their flesh is firm and of a peculiarly pleasant nutty flavour. They have even rows of teeth shaped like the incisors of mammals. These 'fish browse upon the aquatic plants in the swift running water, and are easily shot, when feeding near the surface, by those skilled in the use of the bow and arrow. The bows that our men used for this purpose had been procured from the Indians of the interior.

They were very long and straight, and made of hard red wood. The shafts of the arrows were made of long straight reeds — the flower stalks of the wild cane — tightly bound to a short piece of extremely tough wood inserted at one end, called a " shimara-sherie " or " wirecash." The end of the latter fits into an iron arrow-head, to which it is attached by a piece of cord in such a way, that when the point pierces the fish the barbed head conies off the arrow end, but still remains attached to it by the cord. This allows the shaft freer play, so that during the struggles of the fish it is not broken. Sometimes a light cotton cord of about fifteen feet in length is made fast to the wire cash, one end being attached to the left hand of the fisherman. When the fish is within a short distance of the man the latter lets fly the arrow, and aiming a few Chap. II.

IGUANAS. inches below the fish, to allow for refraction, strikes it in the body. The fish, pierced by the barbed point which remains in it, being now in direct communication with the man's hand by means of the cord, is easily landed. On our way we landed near an isolated hill called Woka, and walking along a level tract in the forest to its foot, climbed to its summit. Under a large ferruginous rock on the hill-side one of the Caribs pointed out the sleeping place of a jaguar, and down in the mud on the river's edge we saw the tracks of this animal. We were frequently amused with the manner in which the iguanas (Iguana tuberculata), alarmed by the noise produced by the boat's paddles, threw them selves from the overhanging branches of trees into the river, many coining clown broadside on the water.

These reptiles, when full grown, attain a length of between three and four feet, including the tail, which is long and pointed. Their flesh resembles that of a chicken in flavour and quality, and is verv good when properly cooked. They are exceedingly numerous on this river, where they dig long underground chambers in the sand-banks at the ends of islands, in which they deposit their eggs. Near the foot of a cataract, where there was a high beach, our men dug up the sand in order to trace out some of these chambers for eggs, and succeeded in capturing four iguanas, which they dragged out by their tails and then seized by the back of the neck and secured. They had to be pretty quick, for the iguana can turn round suddenly and give a fearful bite. An iguana must be drawn from its hole with rapidity, for, if it has time to think, Chap. If.

ON THE CUYUNI. it lets go its tail at the base, leaving -it in the hands of the would-be capturer, and thus escapes. One of these reptiles, captured in its burrow, when killed and cut up for cooking, was found to contain ten eggs of an ellipsoidal form, shell-less, and midway in size between a pigeon's and hen's egg. These are good eating when boiled for about five minutes and then allowed to get quite cold. They then require some manipulation. A hole is made in one end of the skin, and the albuminous part, which never coagu lates, is squeezed out ; then the skin is stripped off, and the semi-hardened yelk, of the consistency of butter, is eaten with salt. Our men and the Indians had a most cruel way of preventing captured iguanas from escaping, by slitting clown the sides of two fore and two hind toes, on opposite feet, and passing the toes between the bone and sinew in such a manner that they could not be disengaged by the struggles of the poor animal.