R. H. SCnOMBURGK. 29 



tattoo, but stain their bodies with the rucu, — the 

 famous arnatto dye of commerce. The females fix 

 a tight bandage round the leg, below the joint of 

 the knee and above the ankle, thus giving an un- 

 natural protuberance to the calf. They perforate 

 the lobes of their ears with bamboo, and their 

 under-lip with a row of pins, by which they esta- 

 blish, as it were, a chevaux-de-frise, or effectual 

 barrier to any improper freedom. The natural 

 beauty of a Carib woman is not, as may be sup- 

 posed, at all heightened by such contrivances. 



On the 1st October the ascent of the Essequibo 

 was resumed ; the party, which consisted of three 

 Europeans, namely. Lieutenant Haining of the 65th 

 regiment, Mr. Robert Brotherson, and himself, — 

 nine Negroes, and five Caribs, three Macusis, and 

 two Accawais, — now occupied three corials. 



Continuing on south and south-east, and passing 

 Osterbecke Point, and next Cumaka Serima, which 

 is the last settlement below the falls, they arrived 

 at Aritaka, in latitude 6 deg. 1 1 min. north, where 

 they encountered the first rapids which impede the 

 navigation of this river. The most considerable of 

 the series is called Itaballi ; the last, Ahara. South 

 of the rapids, numerous sand-banks are seen rising 

 out of the surface of the water, which serve as a de- 

 pository for the eggs of the guana {Lacerta giiana)^ 

 esteemed a great delicacy. The Indians of the party 

 showed great dexterity in securing them; in a very 

 short time they took some hundreds, besides cap- 

 turing several of the guanas. 



