222 The Geology of the Gold Fields of British Gniaiia. 



These journeys usually each occupy a day, launches leaving every week- 

 day mornmg from both Rockstone and Tumatumari, but during dry 

 seasons two or more days may be required to perform them. From 

 Tumatumari a launch conveys passengers and freight to Potaro landing, 

 whence the Potaro road runs for nineteen miles through the mininsr 

 district lying between the Potaro and -Konawaruk Rivers. Mules and 

 carts can be hired for transport along this road, which is well laid out 

 and is kept in rej^air by the colony. 



A steamer leaves Georgetown every Tuesday, Thursday, and Satur- 

 day for Bartica, a small settlement at the junction of the Essequibo 

 and Mazaruni Rivers, returning to Georgetown on the following 

 Wednesday, Friday, and Monda3\ From Bartica the upper stretches 

 of the Mazaruni and Cuyuni Rivers can only be reached by boats, each 

 of which must, in accordance with the river navigation regulations, be 

 in the charge of a certificated steersman and bowman, who direct her 

 through the many and sometimes dangerous low cataracts and rapids 

 which impede the navigation of these rivers. 



From Bartica a road has been cleared running in a southerly 

 direction between the Mazaruni and Essequibo Rivers for about sixty- 

 seven miles to a large tributary of the Maziruni River called the 

 Kaburi Creek ; it is little used, however, as miners and prospectors 

 prefer the cheaper and easier communication by the river. 



The mining-claims between the Cuyuni and Puruni Rivex's are 

 situated some distance from their banks, and access to them is by trails 

 or bush-paths which are used as main roads, from which branch off many 

 smaller paths to the various placers. Transport is very difficult along 

 these paths, especially during wet weather. Some of them run inwards 

 from the rivers for distances of over thirty-five miles. A path from 

 Perseverance Landing on the Cuyuni connects that river with the 

 Puruni, and is now largely used as a means of access to some of the 

 claims in the latter river. 



The American syndicate working the Peters Mine have re-opened 

 and extended a cart-road made Ity the colony from Kartabo Point, at 

 the junction of the Cuyuni with the Mazaruni River, towards the 

 Puruni River. It is proposed to connect the Puruni termination of 

 this road with the diamantiferous areas on the U23per Mazaruni River 

 by means of a bush-path. 



The Bartica steamer stoj)s opposite the Groete Creek, a large tribu- 

 tary on the west bank of the Essequibo River, about fifteen miles north 

 of Bartica, to land passengers and cargo for the claims that are being 

 worked at the head-streams of this tributary and which are connected 

 with the Cuyuni River by a path emerging on that river near Tiger 

 Island. 



The lower reaches of the Cuyuni River are served b}' launches 

 plying betwen Bartica and the foot of the Kamaria Road, and from the 

 head of that road to Arawak Matope. 



The North- Western district is reached by steamer which leaves 

 Georgetown once a week and arrives on the following day at 

 Morawhanna, a small settlement on the Barima, and thence proceeds 



