THE CAURA AND MEREVARI 5 



south, skirting that part of the Pacaraima range known as 

 the Cerros Merevari. Early in its course it receives on 

 its right the Emecuni, near to which the Waiomgomos 

 have their largest house or compound, then it flows in an 

 easterly direction for about 60 miles, when it turns almost 

 due north to fall into the Orinoco after a total course of 

 over 500 miles. The bend which the Merevari forms 

 before meeting the Canaracuna on its left bank, is so 

 irregular and broken by falls and rapids that the Indian 

 traders from the Chawarro, rarely, if ever, attempt to 

 reach the Waiomgomo houses by this route. They 

 prefer to ascend the Canaracuna and follow its small 

 tributary, the Yapecuna, for a short distance. A journey 

 of two days over exceedingly rough country takes the 

 traders to the Merevari, where there is sure to be a 

 woodskin.^ By crossing the Merevari and ascending the 

 Emecuni the Indian settlement is reached. Between 

 this settlement and that at the rapids of Mm*a, a distance 

 of about 250 miles as the crow flies and 400 miles 

 following the windings of the river, no human habitation 

 is met with. "When the Spaniards first visited this 

 region the banks of both the Caura and Merevari sup- 

 ported many tribes. If the names of the various tribes 

 and villages entered on some Spanish maps be correct, we 

 find it difficult to account for the complete extermination 

 of so many people in so short a space of time. Even so 

 late as 1840 Codazzi mentions several tribes of which no 

 trace remains to-day. 



Of the beliefs which prevailed in the early part of the 

 sixteenth century respecting the inhabitants of this part 

 of Guiana we may gather some idea by referring to Sir 

 Walter Ealegh's quaint work ' The Discovery of Guiana ' : 



' Woodskins are small canoes made of bark, used all over Guiana. 



