D2 A NATURALIST IN THE GUIANAS 



Narrows,' forcing our way over the broad waste of those 

 "waters whose sources lie so far apart. As I sat gazing 

 lazily over the steamer's side at the yellow current 

 sweeping past us, I wandered into dreamland. Whence 

 came that mighty flood which lay ahead of us? The 

 snows of the Andes, the heavy rains of the forests, the 

 thunderstorms on the craggy heights of Parime and 

 Maravaca, had contributed to its volume. Through the 

 grassy treeless plains stretching from the Andes, through 

 the wooded country on the Guaviare, through the gloomy 

 forests of Amazonas, rushing and tumbling from the 

 highlands of Guiana, the waters had met at last and 

 mingled in the current running swiftly past us. They 

 had traversed in their course many a wild and unexplored 

 tract of country, they had flowed past the houses of 

 the little known Guaharibos, through the land of the 

 Maquiri tares, by the huts of the Piaroas and Guahibos ; 

 they would soon be lost in the blue waves of the Atlantic, 

 whence they had come borne on the wings of the easterly 

 breeze to feed the snows of the white-capped heights 

 of Merida and the torrents that pour on the forests of 

 Guiana. 



We soon made ourselves comfortable on board of the 

 little ' Caura.' On the after-part of the upper deck, which 

 had a wooden covering supported by stanchions open 

 on the sides, we slung our hammocks. In this place we 

 spent the greater part of the day and had om' meals. 

 The engine, boiler, and stacks of firewood, with tlie two 

 small bongos, occupied the whole of the lower deck. The 

 €rew slept huddled together in the bongos, or on top of 

 the firewood. 



During the dry season, when the easterly winds blow 

 with regularity, a good deal of the carrying trade of the 



