FIELD NATURALISTS' CLUB. 105 



previous to the ascent in the Maracas Valley, and as near to the 

 foot of the mountain as possible, we fixed upon one of the last 

 days of February for our excursion It was about the middle of 

 the dry season, and the weather promised to keep fine and to 

 favour our attempt when we left Port-of -Spain, by the 1.30 p.m. 

 train for St. Joseph. 



Our party consisted of three members of the Club (whose 

 names I have mentioned above) my brother, and two boys who 

 carried the small amount of impedimenta necessary. Arriving at 

 St. Joseph we climbed the hill, on which the former capital of the 

 Island is situated, after the fashion of the old Spanish built towns, 

 and branched off on to the Maracas Road, the first part of which, 

 for a thoroughfare, is very steep. From the highest point of this 

 road we got a fine view of Tucuche away to the north, the three 

 peaks standing out clearly against the northern sky. We were still 

 in the old town, and southward from this point we could also 

 see the Caroni, where in "days of old" Sir Walter Raleigh 

 had sailed up and thus had surprised Don Antonio de 

 Berrio the founder of St. Joseph. Not far behind us was 

 the Barrack Square, where in 1837 the mutiny of the black 

 troops occurred, and where the ringleaders were executed. 

 But we did not think of these things, as we trudged 

 fmward, for Tucuche was the goal, and soon we had passed 

 through St. Joseph and its suburb "Buena Vista," descended 

 the other side of the hill, and were marching along the Maracas 

 country road. Messrs. Urich and Broadway with their boy 

 intended to pass the night with Mr. Speyer, but my brother 

 and myself with our boy, had been kindly accommodated with a 

 night's lodging by Mr. V. Gomez of La Florida, a few miles higher 

 up the Valley. After crossing the Maracas Riverfive or six times 

 we reached Mr. Speyer's residence about 3.30 p.m. Here we made 

 a short rest, and having arrange. I that we should meet at G.30 on the 

 following morning, we left the rear guard of our party at their 

 sleeping quarters and proceede 1 to ours. At 4.45 p.m., and after 

 having again crossed the meandering Maracas River twice, we 

 arrived at La Florida's Manager's quarters, and my brother and 

 myself were very kindly attended to by Mr. Gomez. From this 

 spot the three peaks of Tucuche could be easily disl inguished. The 

 eastern and western ones are conical, while the centre or main 

 peak, apparently the highest, rises gradually to its summit. 

 From the gallery of the house at "La Florida" I could plainly 

 i ■ top of the f s waterfall, distinctly visible at 



that hour of the afternoon, by the bright reflection of western 

 sunlight from the volume, of water as it leapt into the unseen 

 and unknown depths below. The night was pleasantly cool, as 

 the dry season's nights generally are, and when we arose 

 in the morning the thermom registered 69° F. at f> o'clock. 



