90 THE CHATI. 



This fierce creature was shot in the interior of 

 Guiana, by an officer of Lewenstein's riflemen, and 

 placed on the awning of the boat, while coasting 

 down the great river Paramaribo. Ancient trees 

 grew on either side, and spread their branches over 

 the margin of the stream, drooping occasionally 

 even to the water's edge, and affording resting places 

 to innumerable monkeys, who silently and intently 

 observed the motion of the vessel, though apparently 

 not alarmed by the novelty of the spectacle. But 

 no sooner did the stuifed specimen come in sight, 

 than the whole party trooped off with loud screams 

 and howlings. Their excessive terror clearly evinced, 

 that to them the Chati was an enemy of no 

 ordinary kind. 



Those extensive forests, through which the great 

 river Paramaribo often flows in its winding course, 

 abound in timber trees of the largest size, and in 

 such as produce gums and spices. There grows the 

 stately mora, concerning which we have already 

 spoken, as often lifting up to light and heat, a 

 usurping progeny of parasitic plants ; the wallaba, 

 the selvabali, bulletre, and purple heart, the lau- 

 riere, caca, and grigris, majestic trees, whose straight 

 and branchless stems, after rising to the height of 

 sixty or seventy feet, are crowned with a magnifi- 

 cent entablature of waving foliage. 



Scarcely less imposing is the bully tree, fifty feet 

 high; the lofty chatanier grande feuille, resembling 

 the chestnut in size and beauty; and the inflammable 

 hericheri, whose branches, when kindled to a flame, 

 burn so fiercely, that no wild animal dares approach 

 them. The Indians know this tree, and when 



