Rough Notes of a Journey through the Wilderness, from Trinidad to Pará, Brazil, by way of the great cataracts of the Orinoco, Atabapo, and Rio Negro. ... With illustrations, etc

Front matter

ROUGH NOTES OF AMERICAN TRAVEL. ClRINCA TREE, (Indian Rubber] Exti acting Rubber ROUGH NOTES OF A JOURNEY THROUGH THE WILDERNESS, FROM TRINIDAD TO PARA, BRAZIL, BY WAY OF THE GREAT CATARACTS OF THE ORINOCO, ATABAPO, AND RIO NEGRO. BY HENRY ALEXANDER WICKHAM. WITH ILLUSTKATIONS DRAWN ON THE SPOT BY THE AUTHOR. London : W. H. J. CARTER, 12, REGENT STREET, S.W. 1872. [All Rights of Translation and Reproduction reserved.] Tn JAMES DE VISMES DRUMMOND HAY, O.B., H.B.M. CONSUL FOR VALPARAISO, (LATE OF PARA,) THESE ROUGH NOTES ARE DEDICATED, IN REMEMBRANCE OF THE MANY KINDNESSES BY WHICH THE AUTHOR WAS INDEBTED FOR A PLEASANT ENDING TO A SOMEWHAT ARDUOUS JOURNEY. Santarem, Pard, 1871. NOTICE. These Rough Notes of American Travel, having been arranged and prepared for the Press Avithout the personal supervision of the Author, may contain some errors, for which he cannot be responsible ; but under the circumstances of his absence, all possible care has been given to the undertaking by those engaged in it. CONTENTS.

Part I. Rough Notes

of a JOURNEY THROUGH THE WILDERNESS, from Trinidad to Pard, Brazil, by way of the Great Cataracts of the Orinoco, Atabapo, and Rio Negro.

Chapter I. Page

Starting.— Effects of a hurricane. — Night rainbow. — Antigua. — St. Lucia. — Grenada. — Port of Spain. — The lancha at last. — Mosquitoes. — Cedras Point. — Guarrauno Indians. — My crew. — The rushes ...... 1

Chapter II

Cutipita. — The main river. — Old Guayana. — Las Tablas. — Black rocks. — Coast scenery. — Angostura. — Incidental birds. — Winged ants. — Difficulties in the way. — Rogers's mishap. — Caribs. — A desperate convict. — My experience of landladies. — American emigrants. — Progress up the Orinoco. — Birds. — Maripa. — The Savannahs. — Aripiio. — Ventura. — Storms . . . . . . .12 CONTENTS. X PAGE 32 44 65

Chapter III

Mura raudales. — Piritu raudales — Chapparo. — Sarapia. — Taparitos. — Forest-trees. — The Guangomo. — The Nicare stream. — Macaws. — Venezuelan thieves. — A temporal. — Spring at Angostura. — A push for the Amazon

Chapter IV

Iguana Camp. — Watkins. — My costume. — Beetles. — Inconveniences of the rainy season. — Creole importunity — Ramon's shooting. — Purney. — Apure lancha. — Impressions of the scenery. — Caribee-fish. — Squalls. — Rogers's escape. — Mount Caycara. — Rio Cuchivero. — Travellers' fare. — Camping on a rock. — Zancudos again. — Zamora vultures. — A sudden squall. — Fever. — My Indian friend Cumane. — Mata-mata. — Senor Castro's lancha

Chapter V

Jovito Hill. — Paruro Indians. — Scenery.— Guahibos. — Indian tongues. — An old mission. — The Cateniapo. — The voice of the raudales. — Capuchin monkey. — Sefior Castro. — Indian sepulchre. — The Atures Savannahs. — Different tribes of Indians. — River scenery. — The padre of San Fernando de Atabapo. — El Governador's mis-rule. — Orinoco palms. — Pedro Level. — Search for ciringa .

Chapter VI

A moonlight start. — Peculiarities of the South American forest. — Santa Barbara. — Mount Yapacani. — A snake adventure. — Senor Hernandez. — San Fernando. — Senor Lanches. — Caricia. — Ciringa trees. — Forest sounds aud sights in the creek. — Commencing operations. — My forces. — Bush-ropes. — Different species of monkeys. — Christmas CONTENTS. XI PAGE 107 fare in the woods. — The red mosquitoes. — Merced Gil. — Baleuton. — Curious rocks. — El rey de las Zamoras. — Mar quiritare Indians. — Native manufactures. — Roja. — Sick ness. — The little pale man of the forest. — Merced Gil's hospitality. — A sloth ....... 83

Chapter VII

Increase of rain. — A visitor. — No ammunition. — A new kind of food. — A ravo pilado. — Forest life. — Semi-starvation. — Abandoning my rancho. — San Fernando de Atabapo. — A change in the government. — Return of illness. — Vegetation on the banks. — The Pimichin. — Senor Level .

Chapter VIII

Maroa and its vicinity. — Dull lives. — Creole laziness. — How things are managed. — Level and his family. — Perritos. — Venezuelans. — Sefiora Delfina. — Indian superstitions — Native drinks. — Palms. — Lancha building. — San Carlos. — Cucay. — Down the raudales. — San Gabriel. — Future of Brazil. — Tobacco. — Sitios. — The Branco. — A violent temporal. — The highlands of the Branco.— Return to civilization. — Hints for emigrants. — The last of Level

Part II

A JOURNEY among the WOOLWA or SOUMOO INDIANS of Central America.

Chapter I. Page

Impressions of St. Lucia. — Flying fish. — Grey Town. — The woods. — The town and its inhabitants. — A Moravian schooner. — " Crook Crook." — Monkey Point, Blewfields Bluff, and Cassada Cay. — William Henry Clarence. — The Moskito Royal Family. — Mr. aud Mrs. Liindberg. — The Government. — Blewfields Compulsory Christianity. — A curious animal. — Birds. . . . . . .143

Chapter II

The Woolwa river. — Teribio and his companions. — Sugar-cane. — Effects of the hurricane. — Plantations. — Supper and conversation. — Arrival at Kissalala. — An Indian lodge. — My reception. — The Woolwa and their habits. — Their kindness. — Every-day life. — Insect pests. — Birds round the lodge. — Reflections. — Rain. — Spiders and flies. — Ants. — Teribio's royal guests. — Freshwater and his brother. — Grinding corn. — A tragedy. — Indian dogs. — My telescope. — The calabash. — A white falcon. — Canoes. — Indian ways. — A dory from Blewfields. — Alone at Kissalala. — Fishing. — Temple's narrative. — The howler. — A storm. — The Mishla feast. — Company costume . . . .154 CONTENTS. XIII PAGE 236

Chapter III

Starting for the Rama branch. — Frogs. — Comparisons of scenery. — Precautions in making a fire. — Alligators and dogs. — Assan-darkna. — San Bias Indians. — Christmas week. — Illness. — Indian good breeding. — A favourite nook. — Birds 193

Chapter IV

Temple's explanation. — Cholera. — A Woolwa tragedy. — Panic. — Flight from Kissalala. — An ocelot. — Teribio's little daughter. — Unroniantic Indian marriages. — Birds. — A settlement. — Woukee. — Difficult pedestrianism. — Woolwa honesty. — Temple becomes discontented. — Shag aud darters. — The barber's pole. — Bird and animal life. — A Karkee. — Garra-patas. — An Indian Adonis. — Kaka. — Peculiarities of the scenery ...... 205

Chapter V

Starting for Consuelo. — The Peak of Pefia Blanca. — Native politeness. — An Englishman at home. — The Chontales mines. — Trustful disposition of the Woolwa. — A Spanish murder. — Spanish thievery. — Captain Pirn. — Speculations concerning the Woolwa ....■■ 224

Chapter VI

Return to the coast. — Losiug my way.— Personal appearance of the Woolwa. — Indian bird-catchers. — An Indian mother. — Woukee deserted. — Wild fig-tree. — Indian canoe-men. — Curious rocks. — The Kisscadee. — Victim of a puma. — Kissalala's desolation. — Rocks on the Rusewass. Iguana eggs. — Freshwater turtle. — Temple's plantation CONTENTS. PAGE 248 275

Chapter VII

Continuation of journey to Blewfields. — Aspect of the country. — Aground. — The Mission-house again. — The Blewfields scholars. — Mrs. Crawford's thoughtfulness. — Dry weather. — Indian antiquities. — A new missionary. — Jaguars. — An old lady's umbrella. — Yellow-tails. — Cookra Point. — The Half-yearly Congress. — Excitement against the Nicaraguan encroachment. — Cassada Cay. — Magdala. — Cookra Indians. — Hawl-over. — Christmas observances

Chapter VIII

A prayer-meeting at Hawl-over. — Advice for artistic travellers. — The top-knot chick. — Ramong. — Congregation at the Mission-services. — Former luxuriance of the cocoa-nut. — Rain storm. — Old Fox. — Birds. — The snook-fish. — A warry hunt. — Quash ....... 262

Chapter IX

The old Soukier. — Jiggers. — Appearance of the mangrove trees. — My Woukee bittern. — Turtle. — The brown pelican. — Mr. Lane. — Visit to Rama Cay. — An energetic pastor. — The Rama Indians. — Starting for Grey Town.- — Fellowpassengers. — Temple's brother. — A child's funeral. — Hotel expenses. — Aspenwall. — News of Captain Pim. — Home . Report on the Industrial Classes in the Provinces of Para, and Amazonas, Brazil, 16th September, 1870 . . . LIST OF ILLUSTRATIONS. PAGE CIEINGA TREE (india-rubber) — Frontispiece. SANTA LUCIA ..... 3 SUNRISE, ORINOCO ..... G MANRICHE PALM ..... 8 MOONRISE, ORINOCO . . . . .14 ARIGUA VILLAGE, UPPER CAURA ... 32 INTERIOR OF AN ARIGUA LODGE, UPPER CAURA . 38 MY RANCHO DURING THE RUBBER SEASON, CARICIA, UPPER CAURA ..... 90 ORINOCO BELOW THE MOUTH OF THE CONUCONUMO . 102 OUR FIRST (TEMPORARY) HOUSE, NEAR SANTAREM 138 SOUMOO OR WOOLWA INDIANS DESCENDING A RAPID IN A PITPAN, CENTRAL AMERICA . . . 1G0 SOUMOO OR WOOLWA INDIAN, BLEWFIELDS RIVER, CENTRAL AMERICA . . . . 237 RITEPOORA, MOSKITO VILLAGE, PEARL CAY LAGOON . 260 RAMONG, A WOOLWA .... 264 LEAF AND FRUIT OF THE CIRINGA TREE (INDIA-RUBBER), SIZE OF LIFE ..... 295 NEAR SANTAREM, PARA, BRAZIL . . .

ROUGH NOTES OF A JOURNEY THROUGH THE WILDERNESS, FROM TRINIDAD TO PARA, BRAZIL. Santa Lucia AATILDERNESS. 3 the promontory, and a large war-ship swept majes tically across the narrow outlet : she proved to bo the " Royal Alfred," bearing the pennant of the Admiral of the West India station. We Avere, of course, boarded for mails, papers, &c. What a difference there is in the appearance of the boat's crew from an English man-of-war, on a foreign station, to the sailors belonging to any other power! St. Lucia was my first vision of the tropics on my way to Central America. I Avas then enchanted ; and though I have seen so much since the com mencement of my travels, this isle still seems, aboA'e all places, to be transcendent in beauty ; the very rocks are robed in the deepest green. Strangely enough, Ave rounded the S.W. end again (Avhere stand the giant Pitons), at sunset, the same hour as on my introductory visit : these peaks rise abruptly from the sea to a height of 4,000 feet.

On the 4th Ave lay all day at Grenada, taking in coal, Avhich gave any of the passengers so inclined a good opportunity for a run ashore. The quaint, clean little toAvn is ATery ancient and picturesque ; it is well situated in a fine bay, and, for the most part, on a small peninsula therein. In the morning Ave crossed the roughly-paved streets, ascending the side of the hill by a winding, but evenly cut, military road. The vieAV from an old fort at the summit was Avorth the journey. In the afternoon avc skirted the bay through thickets of mimosa and mangoc, interspersed with coco and other palms. I managed to have a swim ; but coming unexpect- AVILDERNESS. cdly upon a shallow covered Avith sea-hedgehogs, I wounded my knee rather painfully. We had on board a recruiter of the 4th West India Regiment, a ATery fine specimen of a West Indian soldier; his uniform excellently suited the exigencies of the climate, resembling that of the French Turcos.

He might have passed for one of that dashing fraternity in Paris. On reaching Trinidad I determined to deposit my baggage at the Custom-House by the water side, in order to be ready at the next opportunity for pushing on to the main. I found that the steamer did not set out for Ciudad Bolivar before the 28th ; and therefore, not desiring to remain stationary for such a length of time, I looked anxiously for a lancha or canoe, or anything in the shipping line that would answer my purpose, bound up the Orinoco. 9th. — I took Rogers (a young Englishman who accompanied me) away behind the toAvn across the country, to try his powers of locomotion and hardihood, knowing that a somewhat fatiguing walk lay before us. We gained the summit of a hill towards the north, where a most beautiful view of the flat coast and the northern mountains was spread beneath us.

I think that any companion Avas duly impressed that travels such as we had entered upon would be no light pastime for either of us. Mr. Budge, of Port of Spain, kindly placed his cool little cottage at my disposal. I was glad of this excuse to " clear out" of the Royal Hotel, as I found hotel life here, of necessity, expensive. The toAvn of Port of Spain, although not pre possessing from the water, is Avell laid out. The large number of East Indian coolies employed on the neighbouring cacao and sugar estates, give the streets something of an Eastern character : the toAvn population is 25,000 ; and many more AAdiite faces are seen than in the other islands Ave touched at on our Avay. Besides the conventional West Indian negro and the coolies, a .sprinkling of Chinese is observ able amongst the inhabitants ; and I belicA'C that the whole island population is some 90,000.

I walked to St. Joseph's, the site of the old Spanish capital San Jose do Oruiia ; and, in company with Mr. Budge, Ausited the valley of Diego Martin. On the 1 1th my patience Avas rewarded ; a small vessel turned up bound for the required destination ; so I at once engaged Avith its captain to convey Rogers and myself as far as Barrancas, and thence to Las Tablas, near the mouth of the Caroni tributary. We hoped to arrive in eight days. Next day avc left Port of Spain, and El Capitan ran the little craft up a creek to take in provisions. We encamped in a mangrove SAvamp, no very delectable situation ; for no sooner had the sun disappeared, than we Avere beset by innumerable mosquitos and sand-flies. The latter insects, though of the minutest proportions, cause much irritation of the skin ; and aided in their attacks by some full grown trumpeting mosquitos, they rendered night hideous, and sleep quite out of the question.

HoAAr ever, every disagreeable must come to an end, and so did ours at last : Ave struggled with difficulty out of the black mud, and, provisions on board, floated beyond the Chowan, as the detestable place is called. Along the Trinidad coast, past the neighbourhood of the famous pitch-lake, the woods began to assume the primeval type. Cedras Point was rounded in the afternoon : the verdant green with which it is draped forms a peculiarly striking contrast to its oavii red colouring. The complexion of the mighty Orinoco here tinges the water AArith yellow. We passed the night at Cedras, swinging at anchor near the sandy shore. 13th. — We left behind us some surf-worn sand stone rocks, covered Avith pelicans, and stood across the gulf, beyond the long reef designated " The Soldier"; coming upon the well-defined line Avhere the greener water of the sea is borne back by the yellow tide of the Orinoco.

There was little breeze, and so swelteringly hot in our open boat, it Avas determined to gain the delta of the Orinoco by the Pedernales channel. The sand spits round the mouth Avere bright AAdth scarlet ibis, egrets, &c. There are a feAV clearings just inside, and here avc saAV the Warraw or Guarrauno Indians (the tribe indigenous to these delta lands), in their Sun Rise. Orinoco " curiaras," or canoes. As avc advanced, channels opened out on every side, cutting the deep green mangrove woods into islands of various dimensions. It Avas evening, and as the sun dipped, macaAVS in pairs, and parrots in flocks, sociably chattering, Avended their way to favourite roosts. At dark the tide turned, and ran out so strongly, that we were obliged to make fast to the bushes, and wait for the flow. 14th. — Now and then Ave encountered a curiara; but as soon as our boat was perceived by its Guarrauno freight, they made off, paddling as for dear life, vanishing up some friendly creek, amidst the dense thickets.

This race has no doubt been badly treated by the Spaniards; kidnapped, and carried to work far away, not knowing whither, by armed forces. They are belieAred to be very numerous, but, owing to bad treatment, are very shy and difficult to approach. As well as the delta lands of the Orinoco, they inhabit the Ioav coast between this and the Pomcroon, towards the Arrawaks of the Demerara; liAdng generally far back in the swamps, where they lift shnple palm-thatched lodges on high posts above the ooze. For their sustenance, they rely largely on a substance resembling sago, together Avith fish, Avhich is abundant, and Avild hog. In person they are short, and rather squat, probably from being so much in their canoes. In colour, they are darker than other American Indians I have seen, Avith the exception of the Moskitos of Central America.

I Avas fortunate in obtaining a good subject for a sketch; the dusky individual showed great taciturnity (or indifference) during the time I kept him standing. These people occa sionally make a trip in their curiaras to the neighbouring island of Trinidad, where they dispose of hammocks, tame birds, and other articles of Indian traffic. They also go to the British settlements on the Guayana coast, but for the most part keep within the labyrinth of creeks and channels con necting the main estuaries of the Orinoco, forming a watery maze, the secret of which they alone are in possession of. They are said also to possess the knowledge of an ointment that is obnoxious to mosquitos, Avhich cease to torment them after they have anointed their bodies Avith the valuable charm. I think there really must be some ground for the idea, for I have seen the Indian fires shining through the night in swampy localities, where we, in an unprotected state, found it impossible to obtain the least respite from the pests.

As we advanced, the palm called the ' Maiiriche became more and more abundant. The Guarrauno make from it a farinaceous substance, which forms one of their staple supports. 15th. — Last evening, and in the morning, we Avere favoured with regular Orinoco squalls of Avind and rain ; later in the day, during our halt, I got out a strong line and some large hooks ; Ave soon took fiATe fine fish, which proved excellent eating — they Avere something like cat-fish. Presently avc began to lose the mangrove, and to sec less of the Manriche Palm wilderness. 9 slender, graceful manac palm. In Brazil it is called the Assai, and it is there much esteemed for the refreshing beverage made from its fruit. The mosquitos of the delta are truly terrible ; they rise in clouds at night from the banks and the floating aquatic plants to prosecute their vengeance upon intruding man.

Islands of these plants float up and doAAai with the ebb and flow of the tide, filled with swarms of these plagues. The banks became higher and more habitable in aspect ; but in the afternoon the Avind so freshened against us, that avc made fast to a cometure tree. As a lad named Pedro was about to perform this office, he nearly ran his head against a large mapanare snake, which was asleep on a bough. The men called out to me to shoot " very bad snake: he aa-us accord ingly riddled Avith a charge of No. 8 shot I happened to have in readiness for small birds. This snake is in the habit of lying thus coiled on a thick branch or bush over the water. I shot many in that Avay aftenvards, and once or twice narroAvly escaped brushing them doAAii into the canoe in our passage underneath. Our little craft, about the size of a Margate lugger, was avcII manned ; the crew were all excellent felloAVS in their Avay, although confirmed smugglers ; indeed, the boat Avas after wards confiscated by the authorities at Angostura.

Benning, the master, a Trinidad creole, had been to England, and had seen the Crystal Palace, Thames Tunnel, and other objects of note ; Paul, a broAvn man from Guadaloupc, chiefly steered ; Andreas, avIio cooked, Avas a Trinidad Creole, — he had traversed the Spanish main ever since he was twelve "years old, and had gone over that extra ordinary bifurcation of the waters of the Orinoco Avith the Amazon, by means of the Cassiquiare, which runs from the upper Orinoco into the Rio Negro, or Guariana ; lastly, Pedro, a mestizo (half-Indian), from the island of Margarita, off the north coast. The mosquitos continued to be most distressingly numerous. 16th. — The banks of the channel reminded me of the lower part of BleAvfields, in Central America, but water-birds and iguana were scarce here, perhaps owing to the deep water up to the banks.

There was, however, an abundance of game, but we had not leisure to seek it on shore with gun and machete. A large bird, called " Arruk," is very common : they are usually seen standing on the top of a thick bushy tree, their heads and necks ducking up and down, whilst they utter a sound like the heaA^y creak of an old-fashioned pump. We arc apt to think that the iiatiATes of South America (not aboriginal) are utterly ignorant : the men in the little craft could all read and Avrite. I always got Pedro, the mestizo lad, to write me the natiA-c names of the fish and trees. One hardly expects to find such a pitch of education in fellows Avith shirts like the rags remaining to us as relics of the Waterloo standards ! Our midday halt was chosen under the shadoAV of a bank someAvhat more ele vated than is usual in these Ioav lands.

As soon as my companions had partaken of their light meal, they severally disposed themselves for a snooze ; not feeling similarly inclined, my eyes wandered along the bank, enjoying, half unconsciously, the grace of the motion of the Avild canes, that AvaAred gently in the immense breadth of the tropical sunlight. Soothed at last into drowsiness by the rippling sea-breeze, the soft continuous whisper of the canes seemed to lose identity with its cause, and become human. I heard words fluttering on the air, and names Avere murmured belonging to dear ones far aAAray ; but anon the fairy spell Avas broken, for the breeze greAV fresh, and the SAvaying of the canes became boisterous, as the men arose from their siesta to shake out the old sail again, and avc once more sped on our way.

CHAPTER II.

January 17th. — This morning we reached the first of the mongrel Spanish settlements, indicated at a distance by a few young coco trees, bread fruit, and plantains. At this plantation, which belongs to an old coloured Trinidad man, we were hospitably entertained. Amongst the good cheer was an excellent fish, called barba de tigre. Here plantains are cultivated abundantly. We remained during the day at this place, which is called Cuti pita, where we found many Spaniards in hiding, to escape from military seiwice in the revolutionary disturbances on the Savannahs of Venezuela to the north. The old Trinidad man had numerous Indians of the Guarrauno race in his employ ; they were crushing his sugar-cane to make papalon, the moulded sugar of Venezuela, which has a ready sale at Ciudad Bolivar. The old fellow also had some uncoloured rum of very fine flavour, and he seemed to think a great deal of it.

I took a portrait sketch of one of the Indians. 19th. — We continued our course. There were now sand-spits at each bend. We passed into the Macarco branch. The bank was Avell settled for this part of the country. In the gloaming of a beautiful evening we sailed out into the main river, leaving the channels of the delta behind us. The river is here studded by four islands. 20th. — As soon as it was light we had a good view of the highlands to the south, the Isnataca range. There are so many bends and low islands, that one is not here impressed, as might lie ex pected, by the really grand proportions of the Orinoco. During the night we coasted the largo isle of Tortola, and passed the toAAai of Barrancas. In the dry seasons the breeze blows from the coast. We iioav went steadily along before it.

The hills closely approach the river on the south side, at a point where there are some rocks called Morocoto. From thence to the Sorondo headland, wooded, gently undulating hills rise from the savannah lands, and appear eminently adapted for settle ments ; for they are a combination of pasture and planting grounds. Cresting some large boulder rocks, and embedded in brushwood, the curious old fortified Spanish settlement, called Old Guayana, rose before us ; we noted its cottage-like houses as we sailed under it. It was emblematic of the picturesque decrepitude of the Spanish main. On the other bank the famous Llanos stretch away hundreds of miles towards Caracas, and the great Savannahs of the Apure. On the Guayana side are thick woods and occasional saArannah. Wild foAvl had latterly been abundant.

At night we cast anchor at the so-called puerto, Las Tablas. It was a fine moonlight. Next morning I went on shore ; the settlement is a wretched place, built on the top of a sloping bank of sand and rock, backed by scrubby brushwoods. It is near the mouth of the Caroni, and owes its existence to the traffic with the neAvdy discoA^ered and rich gold-mines of the Caratel district. FolloAving the right bank for a considerable distance, unmixed with the turbid Orinoco, the clear dark water of the Caroni was to be dis tinguished. As yet I had seen or heard nothing of " the Southerners " said to be settled in this neighbourhood. Owing to the sandy nature of the soil, these Avoods are stunted in comparison with the forests of the other parts of tropical America. It is not until you reach the upper lands, AAdiich by their rising cause the rapids of the main riATer and its tributaries, that you meet with the true Guayana forest.

In the forests of the upper Orinoco, from the cataracts of Maypures to the mouth of the Cassiquiare, I aftenvards met with the most enor mous trees I had eArer beheld. They were usually of the kinds called by the natiATes Cachicamo and Jasapas. For the last two nights I had enjoyed delightful sleep ; it was almost like an escape from " Inferno " to get clear of the mosquitos of the delta. We passed sundry rocky islets and boulders as Ave sailed along ; their surfaces AArere black and shining, from the alternate action of the sun and Orinoco water. Moon Rise, Orinoco

PART I ROUGH NOTES

of a JOURNEY through the WILDERNESS, from Trinidad to Para, Brazil, by way of the great Cataracts of the Orinoco, Atabapo, and Rio Negro.

Chapter I

New Year's Eve, 1869, avc lay at St. Thomas's and witnessed a curious effect in the sky : a rainbow at night, caused by the moon-rays falling on a rain cloud. On NeAV Year's morning we steamed from the harbour, the shore of Avhich and the neighbouring cays Avere still streAATi with the hulks, Avrecks, and other debris of the previous year's hurricane and earthquake, although now all seemed bathed in an atmosphere of undisturbed tranquillity. The Royal West India Mail ships in these latitudes are manned by blacks ; it appeared quite natural to be again on the deck of the old " Tamar," watching the dusky forms of the crew as they lounged or romped about the forecastle, like so many monkeys. B Leaving the island of Santa Cruz on our star board quarter, avc sped along against a head Avind. Some time after I had turned in, I was aroused by the report of the signal-gun, fired right over the port of my cabin : jumping into my slippers, I found we had arrived off St. Kitt's. A good many vessels lay in the roadstead ; and what appeared to be a town, slept on the lowland betAvixt the water and the mountainous backbone of the island, OATer which rolled heaA-'y manes of moon-lit cloud.

The night was marked by a very beautiful, but here, not uncommon phenomenon ; the top of each fleecy cloud Avas tinged with prismatic colours as it passed the disc of the moon. Next morning the sea-girt rock called Rodonda met our view ; then Montserrat ; and we coasted Antigua until avc came to in the lovely cove like entrance to the English harbour, with its crys talline water ; there we landed mails. In the after noon, looming suddenly through a mist of hike-warm rain, we saw the forest-coATered coast of Guadaloupe, and I managed, as usual, to take a few rough sketches at any point of interest. The scenery was truly magnificent. Leaving at midnight, we proceeded to land mails at the Island of Dominica, from whence the gentle land-breeze wafted us that delightful fragrance peculiar to the tropical forests.

January 3rd. — Martinique by daybreak. We came to St. Lucia before noon, entering the beautiful harbour to remain the greater part of the day. When we were about to get under weigh, three masts, with long black spars, were visible, rounding At frequent intervals at this season long flats of sand are exposed. Some parts of the Guayana side have quite an European appearance — one long ridge behind another, the timber apparently low and scattered. On the under side of the limbs of some trees hangs a kind of moss, which floats out on the wind like a mane. At sunset we passed Guarampo, a place like two rounded hills, and three islands of rock and sand. During the night we ran on a shoal, and experienced some difficulty in getting off again. Heavy rain fell after the moon had gone doAvn ; however, wrapped in my waterproof poncho, I cared little for a moderate amount of damping.