458 TROPICAL WILD LIFE IN BRITISH GUIANA 



During the heavy rains, serious flooding of the district 

 occurs, in normal years. In spite of the myriads of mosqui- 

 toes and kabouri flies, which come as one of the Plagues of 

 Egypt, the naturalist should not flee the country, for he will 

 see things, now, which hide away during the drier months. 

 Jaguars and other animals and snakes are driven from the 

 nullahs and low lands, and may be seen, caught, or shot, as 

 they wander, homeless, about the higher ground. Fish are 

 migrating upstream, and are scattering through the creeks 

 and ponds and even with the floods, to mate and to spawn. 

 And insects come forth in cosmopolitan crowds, especially 

 when lights are shown, at night. 



The elevation of the district is surprisingly low if the 

 traveler considers the number of falls and rapids he has left 

 behind, on his way up the rivers. Somewhat to the west of 

 Masara Landing is Mt. Egerton, named after His Excel- 

 lency, Sir Walter Egerton, who visited the Hinterland and 

 ascended this hill, in 1913. Its elevation is given as being 

 2,050 feet. This is the highest point at the southern end of 

 the Pakaraimas. Mr. C. W. Anderson gives the average 

 elevation of the savannahs as 300 feet. This cannot be ap- 

 plied to any parts save the depressions. Mt. Egerton (2,050 

 feet) is not 1,700 feet above the savannah level. The district 

 therefore, may be said to comprise the low lands of the inte- 

 rior. The high lands exist about the Upper Potaro and 

 extend towards Roraima. 



The prevailing winds are the northeast trades. Most 

 of the rain is brought by them, and the falls are ushered in 

 with quasi-hurricanes, which shake the houses. The cloud- 

 bank rises over the Essequibo and, generally splits, when 

 approaching the Makarapan. One pack sweeps along the 

 Pakaraimas, perhaps bursting out as far as Mare-kupu bush, 

 the other pack passes over the Rewa forest to Uruata for- 

 est along the Kanukus. A diagonal belt, which includes 

 most of the open savannah land, with tlie rising Theopokaru- 

 kuru (Tlieopokaru-hill) receives less rain than the regions 



