40 MEMOIR OF 



on the Essequibo. Far in the south-eastern hori- 

 zon, at the distance of about sixty miles, rose the 

 Carawamee mountains, stretching east and west, 

 and probably the Sierra Acaray, or Tumu-curaque 

 of our maps. From one of these, according to the 

 natives, the Rupununi has its source; soon after, 

 receiving from the eastward a tributary, it forms a 

 large Ita swamp, then assumes a north-west course 

 with no interruption til] it meets the Paha-eteeyan 

 or Cassada-bread hills on its western bank, when it 

 forces itself through a bed of stratified granite, 

 spreads into many channels over a bed about four 

 hundred yards wide, again narrows, and rushing 

 over a granitic dyke, forms the Corona or upper fall 

 of the Rupununi. The Rupununi has its sources in 

 the savannahs, and, allowing for windings, is about 

 two hundred and twenty miles long. 



It had been intended to explore the Rupununi to 

 its sources, but the want of water, a severe intermit- 

 tent fever, and the approaching rainy season would 

 not allow it. Mr. Schomburgk, therefore, after com- 

 pleting his observations, returned to the northward, 

 and, desirous of obtaining a specimen of the plant 

 which furnishes the famous urari or wourali poison, 

 bent his steps over pathless savannahs, until after a 

 weary march of upwards of eight hours, he arrived 

 at a settlement of Wapisianas. Here he found some 

 sugar-canes, bananas, plantains, and cotton-trees in 

 perfection. Efforts were made to dissuade him from 

 his journey, but to no purpose ; he started next day 

 along a difficult path, and reached a glen near 



