EIGENMANN: THE FRESHWATER FISHES OF BRITISH GUIANA 55 



We had soup, rice, tea, and jam for breakfast, and started at 11 :30 on the home-stretch. Dead fishes 

 were floating about the little bay from which we started, so the poison kills. 



" Most of the Indians had clone nothing but swing in their hammocks all the morning, so they 

 paddled with a swish and swing in great contrast to yesterday's dilly-dallying. At one P.M. we 

 were at Erukin, a sandy, clear creek that I wanted poisoned. We had fished here with poor success 

 at night on the way up. William thought it was too big and swift to poison, but I had them stretch 

 the net across the mouth, sent the pounders up-stream, and William, some other Indians, and myself 

 took up stations at intervals obliquely across the river. I stood in a patch of sunlight where every 

 grain of sand could be seen at the bottom. I was in sleeveless undershirt, pants, and a pair of socks. 

 My tennis-slippers had gone to pieces on the rocks at Amatuk. Soon fishes came down the stream 

 in distress, and when the poison was exhausted, we found we had a number of novelties in our dip- 

 nets and the fifteen-foot net at the mouth of the creek had caught most things as they came down. 

 At 2:30 we were moving again, and when near 4:00 o'clock William cried out "Kangaruma," all 

 paddles stopped for a moment and then dashed on, and we landed here at 4 P.M. 16 I read let- 

 ters, not all of them thoroughly, till supper time. I must wrap and pack my fishes before we 

 start on our two-and-a-half hours' walk to-morrow, for I don't want to lose the day's catch during 

 the walk. 



Saturday morning. 



" For about a month now I have not slept out of hearing of the roar of the cataracts. Tumatu- 

 mari, Kangaruma, Amatuk, Waratuk, Tukeit, Kaieteur, and Holmia are all on cataracts or falls. 

 In fact they are all places where goods have to be transported on account of cataracts. I have so 

 much stuff that it took more than one trip for the twelve carrying Indians that have come down with 

 me. But then their food and personal effects add a little. My personal effects make about one 

 load now. The trip has been a phenomenal one. I can't say that I could swear that I have every- 

 thing, but every effort, seconded in each case by William and sometimes suggested by him, has been 

 made. I ought to have poisoned the cataract above Holmia, but it rained a night and a day so the 

 river rose five feet, and it could not have been done even if I had at that time learned the trick." 



We left Kangaruma in the morning of November 1st for the walk through 

 the woods, and arrived at Potaro Landing in time to catch the boat for Tumatumari. 

 Here I parted with my crew, who returned to Holmia with Mr. Bovallius. I 

 packed fishes and had the fever again. I broke it, and left on the 4th for Crab 

 Falls. 



The Potaro Gorge is one of the remarkable features of the world. The river 

 is lined with trees so tall they could only thrive in a region free from strong winds. 

 The sides of the gorge are rugged, and the whole recalls the Rhine, or the Yosemite. 

 We saw no one from the time of striking into the woods behind Potaro Landing 

 till we reached Holmia. The entire stretch is utterly uninhabited and very few 

 tourists pass this way to get the inspiring view of fall and gorge from its upper 

 brink. The region between Savannah Landing and Holmia is level, but mountains 



16 Mr. Macturk had brought a batch of letters from Georgetown and left them here. 



