Information respecting Scientific Travellers, 193 



of Arawaaks and Warrans, under the Arawaak chieftain Jan. We 

 were received in a very friendly manner ; and found in him an intel- 

 ligent man, vfho spoke the Creol-Dutch perfectly. The settlement 

 consisted mostly of Arawaaks, and only a few Warrans. The greater 

 cleanliness in i)erson of the former, compared with the latter, was 

 striking. We did not observe among any of the Arawaaks (whether 

 children or adults) those tumours which are caused by an accumu- 

 lation of chigoes, and which, being neglected to be extracted in time, 

 render many of the Warran children lame ; indeed, as the chigoes 

 penetrate other parts as well as the feet, these poor children not only 

 suffer the greatest pain by the neglect of their parents, but are ren- 

 dered in their appearance positively offensive. This was not the case 

 with the Arawaaks, among whom the filthy state of the Warrans is 

 proverbial ; nor did they suffer from those ophthalmic complaints, 

 which I have mentioned as being so common to the Warrans of these 

 rivers, and of which the extent has been under-rated in the state- 

 ments that even fifty per cent, of them suffer under it. 



With Captain Jan of Assecura as a guide, and our crew increased 

 by several of his followers, we left the settlement on the 2nd of 

 June, and now ascended the Amacura. 



The next day (June 3rd) proved so rainy that we were obliged to 

 remain stationary. We started, however, on the 4th of June, to con- 

 tinue the survey of the Amacura to its falls or rapids, which are 

 caused by a ledge of granitic rocks that cross the river and impede 

 its farther navigation. 



As we advanced I found its banks increase in height, and become 

 studded with noble forest- trees. The gorgeous flowers of the Brownea 

 racemosa and Gustavia angustifolia were so abundant that they added 

 considerably to the beauty of the sylvan scenery. 



We left on the 7th of June, on our farther descent to the mouth 

 of Amacura. The Arawaak, Captain Jan, who went with us to the 

 Upper Amacura, and who proved himself very useful and intelligent, 

 accompanied us farther, as his knowledge of the localities, and the 

 names of streams which fall into the Amacura, rendered his ser- 

 vices valuable. The streams which join the river from its eastern or 

 right bank are very numerous ; and it increases materially in breadth : 

 I state its average depth at its lower course as eighteen feet, though 

 there are places which much exceed that depth. A peculiar feature 

 in this river are large patches, consisting of matted grass, the splendid 

 blue water-lily (Ponthederia azurea), and several other water-plants, 

 which, torn off by the increased stream during the rainy season, come 

 floating down with the current, and reaching that part of the river 

 where it is subjected to the tides, are carried to and fro, as the tide 

 may be flowing or falling. We might have numbered thousands 

 of these little floating islands. We reached, in the afternoon at three 

 o'clock, the Coyuni, which, like the Mora from the Waini to the 

 Barima, and vice versa, offers an uninterrupted passage in canoes 

 from the Amacura to the Araturi. The Coyuni connects the Ama- 

 cura with the Waicaicaru or Bassama, which falls into the Araturi. 



