160 OUR SEARCH FOR A WILDERNESS. 



down, but the more humanely inclined had nets on the end 

 of long poles. As many as seven Honey Creepers are occa- 

 sionally entrapped at one time. They do not seem to know 

 how to fly toward light and liberty after getting up among 

 the dark rafters. 



The fauna of this exceedingly marshy region was different 

 from that higher up. Agoutis and pacas are abundant but 

 capybaras do not come this side of Barramanni Police Sta- 

 tion. Deer and peccaries are very rare. Jaguars are unknown 

 but ocelots are occasionally found, a young one having been 

 killed under the house at Christmas. It lived in a burrow 

 and took a chicken each night until it was killed. 



Many fish were seen playing about the tent-boat as it 

 was tied to the wharf, and among others were scores of small 

 pipe-fish. Mr. Crandall caught a small round sun-fish-like 

 form, brilliantly colored and with a most wicked looking 

 set of triangular teeth. As he was about to take the fish 

 off the hook it deliberately twisted itself in the direction of 

 his hand and bit his finger, taking a piece out with one snip 

 of its four razor-like incisors. This was our introduction 

 to the famous Perai or Carib Fish (Serrasalmo scapularis) 

 which seems to fear nothing, man, crocodile or fish, and a 

 school of which can disable any creature in a very short time. 



At this point we left the Waini and turned off into the 

 Barama. We had followed the Waini day and night for 

 about sixty miles, until, from a stream of two miles or more 

 in width, it had narrowed to little more then one hundred 

 yards. 



We left Farnum's at three in the afternoon and steamed 

 slowly up the Barama for twelve hours, tying up to the bank 

 from three to seven in the early morning. We slept but 

 little, for the strange wonderland which opened up before us. 

 At nine o'clock the full moon rose and the beauty of the 

 wilderness became indescribable. In the north along the 



