273 



conscious, were unable to walk and had to be carried home in 

 guayares, an extemporised basket-like Indian palm-leaf and liane 

 knapsack, (.t-) which is suspended from the shoulders, by means 

 of two straps, lies flat to the back, can be made to receive seventy 

 to eighty pounds weight, and is by far the most convenient contriv- 

 ance for the carrying of a load through the woods, or up an ascent, 

 as it allows the free use of hands and arms, and is entirely with- 

 out pressure on the breast. The snake was killed by the blows of a 

 long green stick, cut for the purpose, as shooting among the dogs 

 was hazardous. This crotalid, a fairly large one, measured 7 feet 

 10 inches long by o inches through the thickest part of the belly. 

 After skinning it and removing the fangs (y) from their death- 

 chamber in the upper gum ( these to be kept as^ trophies), we sat 

 down and partook of our well-earned refreshments. The first to 

 rise was the old hunter, who, by the way, declared that never 

 during his long experience, had he, in a single hunt, witnessed 

 such a large proportion of disaster among his dogs. Of our pack 

 of nine, two of the best were killed, four wounded, and only the 

 remaining three free from hurt. When ready to start, we, one 

 and all, shouldered our guayares (or wayas), one carrying a dog, 

 another a quank, and so on, and made tracks for home. The 

 amateurs found chasing much pleasanter than carrying, and our 

 journey back, which should have been accomplished in three 

 hours, lasted fully four. We reached home thoroughly exhausted, 

 and rested the rest of the weary, after a most exciting if not un- 

 qualifiedly enjoyable day. / 



1st. Sept. 1893. Albert B. Carr. 



(a.) Hunt. Sporting — by gun or otherwise — in the woods, hills, plains 

 or marshes of Trinidad, necessarily undertaken afoot in the Island 

 always — among high and low alike - goes by this term ; in Creole la cliasse, 

 and the hunter chasseur. 



{b.) Caparo. Middle Caparo (in which the hunt here written of took 

 place) is a sub district called after the valley and river of this name. The 

 Caparo is the only considerable stream draining the Northern face of the 

 Wontserrat range. A large area about its upper reaches is yet unalienated, 

 in wild forest, practically unexplored, and the N.E. saddles, giving access to 

 Tamana and the shortest practicable route through the hollows of that 

 range to the Upper Nariva and Ortoire country en route to Mayaro, is un- 

 mapped and unknown. 



(f .) The Trinidad hunting knife is ordinarily an old cutlass, worn or broken 

 down to a total length of a couple of feet, seven inches being taken up by 

 the corded handle. The blade has been narrowed and ground down to a 

 long point, both edges sharpened ; in fact it has been converted into a 

 great dagger or poniard. 



[d] Cutlass. The common field implement of the Trinidad and Span- 

 ish Main labourer, whether for chopping Canes, trimming Cacao trres, 

 cutting grass for stock, slicing one's way in the forest through bush-ropes or 

 the small vines, cutting rastro {ratrajo or ruinate), brushing beneath grown 



