EIGENMANN: THE FRESHWATER FISHES OF BRITISH GUIANA 



47 



"Trenchan" became steersman. Eddie, my cook, spent his time largely with the 



dog "Sunday." Part of our Indians were jolly, naked savages from near Holmia; 



the others were surly fellows dressed in shirt and trousers and had come from Brazil. 



After about two hours rowing we camped beside a creek, Erukin. I attempted 



Fig. 15. View looking up the Potaro River in the early morning. Glimpse of the Guiana Plateau in the 



distance. 



a little fishing at night, but with the very poorest success. On our return trip we 

 were more successful at this point. 



On Friday, the 16th, we started at 6 A.M., and by eight were at Amatuk, where 

 we remained till breakfast. We attempted to do some collecting on the sand- 

 bank, but, as usual in the daytime, with very little success. At Amatuk the goods 

 had to be carried to a boat above the twenty-five foot cataract. I had felt fine 

 all the morning and enjoyed especially the lazily flopping Morphos crossing the 

 river, and the flying fishes. The latter would dart up in front of us, cut through 

 the water, leaving the breast or tail in the water and beating the water with their 

 pectorals. One of the flying-fishes would cut through the water for forty feet or 

 more and then leave the water entirely for five or ten feet. At the end of its 

 flight it would fall sidewise into the water. At first it looked like a long, slender 

 fish, but by watching near the end of the flight, when the momentum was gone, 

 the disc-like shape could easily be made out. To make sure I asked the Indians 



