272 IN THE GUIANA FOREST. 



Dutch colonist had his orchard near the house, 

 and very often a line of bamboos along the shore. 

 When, however, it was found that the alluvion of 

 the coast was the most fertile, a general exodus 

 took place, and nearly all the river plantations 

 were abandoned. In a very few places some of 

 the mango trees still survive, but most of the other 

 fruit-trees are entirely gone. Still, when even 

 these have been destroyed by the stronger vegeta- 

 tion of the forest, a clump or even line of bamboos 

 still holds its own, and plainly indicates that once 

 upon a time a sugar plantation existed on the 

 spot. 



Perhaps the traveller has seen its name and 

 that of the owner on some chart of the last 

 century, and wishes to find out whether there are 

 any remains of the buildings. If it has been 

 abandoned a long time say fifty years or more 

 the forest is fairly open after an entrance is made 

 through the thick jungle which lines the river 

 bank ; but if, on the contrary, man has departed but 

 a little while, it can only be penetrated by the use 

 of the cutlass at every step. To find anything in 

 either case is almost impossible, even if the brick 

 foundations of the mill or the great oven have not 

 been carried off, and when the explorer is particu- 

 larly fortunate he finds only a distorted heap, held 



