WANDERINGS IN SOUTH AMERICA. 121 



boldest had swum over, lie did the same on the other side, 

 and then all followed. 



After passing the night on the opposite bank, which is 

 well wooded, it is a brisk walk of nine hours before \ou 

 reach four Indian huts, on a rising ground a few hundred 

 paces from a little brook, whose banks are covered over 

 with Coucourite and ^Eta-trees. 



This is the place you ought to have come to two days 

 ago had the water permitted you. In crossing the plain 

 at the most advantageous place you are above ankle-deep 

 in water for three nours ; the remainder of the way is dry, 

 the ground gently rising. As the lower parts of this 

 spacious plain put on somewhat the appearance of a lake 

 during the periodical rains, it is improbable but that this 

 is the place which hath given rise to the supposed exist- 

 ence of the famed Lake Parinia, or El Dorado ; but this is 

 mere conjecture. 



A few Deer are feeding on the coarse rough grass of this 

 far-extending plain ; they keep at a distance from you, and 

 are continually on the look-out. 



The Spur-winged Plover, and a species of the Curlew, 

 black, with a white bar across the wings, nearly as large 

 again as the scarlet curlew on the sea-coast, frequently 

 rise before you. Here, too, the Moscovy Duck is numer- 

 ous ; and large flocks of two other kinds wheel round you 

 as you pass on, but keep out of gun-shot. The milk-white 

 Egrets and Jabirus are distinguished at a great distance ; 

 and in the seta and coucourite trees you may observe flocks 

 of scarlet and blue Aras feeding on the seeds. 



It is to these trees that the largest sort of Toucan resorts. 

 He is remarkable by a large black spot on the point of his 

 fine yellow bill. He is very scarce in Demerara, and neve; 

 seen except near the sea-coast. 



The Ants' Nests have a singular appearance on this plain, 



