184 M THE GUIANA FOREST. 



until it has accommodated itself to adverse circum- 

 stances, such an idea is impossible. No, this great 

 arum is as selfish as the rest, and cares nothing 

 for those coming behind as long as they do not 

 interfere with him. When they spread their great 

 branches over his foliage, and he can hardly see 

 the sun, his energies are crippled, and he sinks 

 down to a puny dwarf of three or four feet high, or 

 perhaps is killed altogether. Nevertheless we must 

 give him credit for his good work whether he has 

 meant to do it or not ; thank him that our river- 

 banks are comparatively stable, and that some of 

 the islands he has been instrumental in erecting 

 are habitable. 



A similar work to that going on in the river 

 is also being performed in the tortuous creeks. 

 Their courses are continually changing through 

 the struggle between the trees and the flood. That 

 the struggle is intense can easily be seen by the 

 naturalist, and even an ordinary observer must 

 recognise the innumerable signs of its presence. 

 As he is paddled round bend after bend during the 

 flood the strained muscles of his negroes' shoulders 

 indicate that they are pulling against a mighty 

 force. Then he comes across fallen trees, float- 

 ing logs, uprooted palms, gree.t gaps in the wall 

 of foliage, and sometimes large accumulations 



