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GUYANA. 



GUYANA. 



towards the beach, bo that vessels drawing more than 12 feet can find 

 sufficient water only to within three miles of the land. Vessels of 

 large size are unable to enter the rivers in consequence of large 

 accumulations of mud or sand which collect at their mouths. The 

 low and flat character of the land continues inland from 40 miles to 

 70 miles, the level corresponding generally with that of the sea at 

 high water. When the lands are drained, banked, and cultivated, 

 they become consolidated, and the level usually sinks about a foot, 

 so that the most unremitting care and attention to the embankments 

 and sluices is necessary to keep out the sea. In some places savan- 

 nahs of considerable extent afford good pasturage, but by far the 

 greatest portion of the surface is covered with trees and fit for the 

 growth of every kind of grain and tropical products. 



The high land which lies at the back of this plain was little known 

 till about the year 1835, when the London Geographical Society sent 

 out Mr. (now Sir R.) Schomburgk, who made considerable researches 

 in British Guyana. The high land does not rise immediately from 

 the plain to a great elevation, the hills on its southern edge attaining 

 only a height of from 50 feet to 200 feet above the plain. Behind 

 these hills the high land stretches out in level or undulating plains, 

 rising here and there into eminences ; but farther south ranges of 

 bills appear running north-west and southeast nearly parallel to the 

 coast, and south of them the surface is again depressed and extends 

 in plains. These ranges appear to occupy an inconsiderable width, 

 and the plains between them are of great extent. Between the Sierra 

 Pacaraima and the Sierra Taripona the plain affords a natural com- 

 munication between the rivers which traverse British Guyana and 

 the Rio Branco, which falls into the Amazonas River. The Rupu- 

 noony flows near some of the upper branches of the Rio Branco, and 

 is separated from them by a low and level tract (near 59° W. long.). 

 This tract contains the Lake Amucu, which in the dry season is of 

 small extent, but after the rains have fallen inundates the adjacent 

 low country, and its waters run partly eastward into the Rupunoony, 

 and partly westward into the Rio Branco. The plains south of the 

 Pacaraima range are in general level, and form extensive savannahs 

 covered with grasses and plants ; the winding course of the rivers 

 alone is marked by a fringe of trees, and some swampy tracts of 

 small extent are overgrown with the Mauritia vinifera. In the 

 country north of the Pacaraima range the Ijelt of wooded and rich 

 land along the water-courses is covered with high forest-trees. The 

 proportion of rich and cultivable land in this region is very great. 



River$. — The largest river is the Eutquibo, which traverses nearly 

 the middle of British Guyana. In 3° \i' N. lat, about 230 miles 

 from its mouth in a straight line, the river is some hundred yards 

 wide, and forma a great cataract, called King William's Cataract. 

 Near 4° N. lat, it receives the river Rupunoony, which has a course 

 of about 220 miles. It afterwards receives the Siparoony, and at 

 various points in its ooarse forms rapids and cataracts, which can only 

 be passed by small vessels, and with danger. North of 5° its tortuous 

 course is in general to the north ; here too there are several dangerous 

 rapids, and a great number of rocky islands in the river, among which 

 the island of Gluck is 7 miles long, but narrow. Fifty miles from its 

 mouth occur the last rapids, which, though not high, are numerous : 

 up to this point the tides ascend. Five miles lower down the river 

 enters the low plain, and is here above a mile wide, growing con- 

 tiuually wider until at its mouth it forms an setuary 14 miles wide. 

 Within the plain it receives from the west the waters of the united 

 rivers Mazsroony and Cuyuni, which at the point of junction are 

 more than a mile wide. In the wide icstuary of the Essequibo there 

 are numerous islands, some of which are extensive. Hog Island is 

 large and well cultivated. Across the entrance of the river are three 

 iaUndK, the largest of which, which lies in the middle, is from 7 to 



8 miles long. The entrance of the Essequibo is dangerous, even for 

 small craft, on account of the banks of mud and sand. East of the 

 Essequibo and parallel to it runs the Dcmerara, whose sources are 

 probably a little south of 5° N. lat. At 5° 25' N. lat. it forms a great 

 cataract, and below it becomes navigable for small craft. Towards its 

 mouth it widens to a mile, and at Georgetown, where it enters the 

 sea, it is more than a mile and a half across. This river runs more 

 tlum 200 miles, and as it affords an easy means of transport for 

 goods, there are many settlements on its banks. Farther east runs 

 the Berbice, whose source is probably near 3" 40' N. lat. It has 

 numatoua rapids and cataracts, but is navigable for 165 miles, 

 measured along the numerous windings of the stream. [Berbice.] 



The Courantyne River forms the boundary between British and 

 Dutch Guyana. Its sources are probably in the Sierra Acaray. Like 

 moot of the rivers of Guyana, it has many rapids and caUu'acts, and 

 its course is very tortuous. It is navigable for about 150 miles 

 measured along its windings. Seventy miles from the sea the tide 

 rises 80 inches. North of 5° S5' N. lat. it forms an ccstuary, which is 

 10 miles across where it meets the sea. South of the sestuary is 

 Parrot or First Island, which is 7 miles long and 1 mile wide, and 

 •Uvided from the eastern bank by a channel only 3 cables wide, but 



9 feet deep at low water. Along the western shore is a mud bank. 

 The Surinam River, which traverses the middle of Dutch Guyana, 



is sup[K»ed to have its source about 4° N. lat. It enters the low plain 

 alxjut 4° 40' N. lat., and so far it is navigable for river barges. Vessels 

 of considerable size can sail up the river to the town of Paramaribo, 

 acoo. Sir. vol. hi. 



The Marony, which separates Dutch and French Guyana, rises pro- 

 bably in the Sierra Acaray. Many rapids and cataracts occur in this 

 river. Large river vessels can ascend to the town of Armina, to which 

 the tide ascends. From Armina to the mouth of the river it is not 

 less than a mile and a half wide, but is full of islands. Of the Oyapoc, 

 which separates French Guyana from Brazil, very little is known. 



Climate. — Guyana has two rainy and two dry seasons. The long 

 rainy season sets in about the middle of April and lasts till August. 

 The long dry season continues from August to November. February 

 and March constitute the short dry season. The trade-winds, passing 

 over the whole breadth of the Atlantic, reach this coast loaded with 

 moisture, and both the wind and the moisture render the heat less 

 oppressive than it would otherwise be. The thermometer, even in 

 summer, seldom rises above 90", and it does not often descend below 

 75°. The climate of Guyana is more healthy than that of most 

 places in the West Indies. Thunderstorms occur only during the 

 rainy seasons, and are violent, but rarely do any damage. The hur- 

 ricanes so destructive in the West Indies are imkuown in Guyana, 

 Slight shocks of earthquakes sometimes occur. 



Productions. — Guyana possesses many iudiKcnous plants and large 

 forest-trees. Many of the trees produce excellent timber, others are 

 used for furniture, as the mahogany, or afford dye-wood, and others 

 are valuable on account of their fruits. Indian corn and rice are 

 cultivated, and yield abundant crops. Wheat is not successfully cul- 

 tivated. Cassava, or maudioc, yams, sweet potatoes, and arrow-root 

 are raised in considerable quantities. The chief fruits are the banana, 

 the pine-apple, and the cacao-nut. The sugar plantations of British 

 Guyana are hardly inferior in extent to those of Barbadoes or Jamaica. 

 Coffee and cotton are cultivated to a great extent. Tobacco and 

 indigo are also attended to. The cacao-tree and the plant which 

 produces castor-oil grow wild. 



The domestic animals are the same as in England. Black cattle 

 grow to a greater size than in Europe, but their flesh is not so tender 

 nor of so fine a flavour. The wool of the sheep is converted into 

 hair. Among the ferocious animals are the jaguar and couguar. 

 Other animals are the armadillo, agouti, ant-bear, the sloth, and a 

 t reat variety of monkeys. Lizards are numerous ; the iguana is 

 common, and its flesh esteemed a delicacy, as well as its eggs. Alli- 

 gators of great size, the manati, or sea-cow, the vampirebat, and the 

 boa constrictor are among the more remarkable objects in the natural 

 history of Guyana. Parrots, humming-birds, the flamingo, Muscovy 

 ducks, spoon-bills, peacocks, &c., are numerous. 



Iliitory. — Guyana was discovered before the end of the 15th century 

 by Vincent Pinzou. The Dutch formed the first settlement about 

 1590 on the Demerara River, and afterwards established themselves 

 at other places. The English settled in 1634 in the neighbourhood 

 of the rivers Berbioe and Surinam ; but in 1667 the English settle- 

 ments were given up to the Dutch. The French occupied Cayenne 

 in 1633. During the last war with France the English occupied thu 

 Dutch settlements; and by the treaty of Paris, 1814, they restored 

 only those between the Courantyne and the Marony to the Dutch, 

 retaining possession of the remainder. 



Inhabitants. — Guyana is inhabited by Europeans, Africans, and 

 native Americans. In British Guyana there are six tribes of natives. 

 The Arawaaks surround the settlements on the Demerara and Berbice 

 rivers ; the Accaways live on the banks of the Cuyuni and Mazaroony, 

 and also on the Essequibo, north of 5° N. lat. Between the Sierra 

 Pacaraima and Sierra "Taripona are the Macoosie, and south of them 

 the Warpeshana. The Warrows occupy the coast between the Poma- 

 roon and the mouth of the Orinoco. Several Carib tribes are dis- 

 persed among the natives. The Arawaak Indians visit the British 

 settlements, and work in the wood-cutting establishments for daily 

 wages. Some of the tribes are almost as fair as Spaniards or Italians, 

 while those who live near the sea-coast are of a very dark brown. 



British Guyana includes the countries from the Courantyne River 

 westward to the Orinoco, and from the sea-coast to the sources of the 

 Esseqmbo and Courantyne. The most western portion between the 

 Orinoco and the small river Pomaroon is only inhabited, as already 

 mentioned, by the tribe of the Warrows. The settlements on the 

 Pomaroon and Essequibo rivers are few in number and not largo 

 in extent; but the settlements along the banks of the Demerara 

 and Berbice, as well as along the sea-shore between these rivers, are 

 numerous, and extend from 30 to 50 miles inland. On the river Cou- 

 rantyne there are numerous settlements, some of which are of consi- 

 derable extent. Sugar and coffee are cultivated on a large scale. The 

 cultivation of cotton has declined. Previous to 1831 the country 

 was divided into three colonies — Essequibo, Demerara, and Berbice ; 

 but in that year they were united under one government, called 

 British Guyana, the three districts being now called counties. The 

 residence of the governor is in Oeorgetown, formerly called Stabrock, 

 or Stabrook, on the Demerara River, a short distance from its mouth. 

 Its wide streets are traversed by canals. The houses are of wood, 

 and seldom above two stories high. Before them are porticoes and 

 balconies, shaded by a projecting roof, which is made of red wood, 

 resembling mahogany. New Amsterdam, on the river Berbice, not 

 far from its mouth, is a small place. 



British Guyana is under a governor, who resides in Georgetown, 

 Demerara, Within the last few years considerable changes have 



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