1V2 A NATURALIST IN THE GUIANAS 



think that it is necessary to introduce blood from a 

 caratoso into the system of a healthy person so as to 

 ensure the development of the disease. So rooted is this 

 conviction, particularly among the low^er orders, that a 

 common threat one hears in a street quarrel, is, ' Te voy 

 a pintar ' — ' I shall paint you.' 



Although it had been arranged at Ciudad-Bolivar that 

 there should be no delay at Puerto Antonio Liccioni, 

 and that we would find everything in readiness for an 

 immediate departure from that place, it did not cause me 

 any disappointment when I learnt that the men whom 

 we required could not start before the following day, 

 Monday. In fact, I was prepared for even a longer 

 stoppage, so that on the whole I considered we had 

 reason to congratulate ourselves. Mr. Klages, an American 

 collector of birds, butterflies, and mammals, spent the day 

 with us. He had been nearly three years at Maripa, he 

 told me, and he was delighted to meet with some English- 

 speaking people. That night was to be our last on 

 board. On the morrow we would be cut adrift from all 

 communication with the civilised world : we would have 

 left behind us many luxuries and many pleasures, yet I 

 looked forward to my trip up the river with keen delight. 



The noise of the stokers getting up steam awoke us 

 at an early hour — it must have been about three. I 

 dozed off again to be aroused by the screech of the steam 

 whistle, which, as had been agreed, would be a signal 

 for the men on shore that we were ready to start. 



More than an hour elapsed before two of them put in 

 an appearance ; they were very drunk. It was nearly eight 

 when the rest arrived, the whole of them in an advanced 

 stage of intoxication. All this time the captain had been 

 alternately pulling at the throttle of his whistle and 



