FIRST JOURNEY. 19 



nor craft of any kind, could stem this downward flood. 

 In a' few moments the first would be killed, the second 

 dashed in pieces. 



The Indians have a path alongside of it, through the 

 forest, where prodigious crabwood trees grow. Up this 

 path they drag their canoes, and launch them into the 

 river above ; and, on their return, bring them down the 

 same way. 



About two hours below this fall, is the habitation of 

 an Acoway chief called Sinkerman. At 



Habitation . , . , . , ,, 



of an Acoway night you hear the roaring of the iall from 

 it. It is pleasantly situated on the top of a 

 sand-hill. At this place you have the finest view the 

 river Demerara affords : three tiers of hills rise in slow 

 gradation, one above the other, before you, and present 

 a grand and magnificent scene, especially to him who 

 has been accustomed to a level country. 



Here, a little after midnight, on the 1st of May, 

 was heard a most strange and unaccountable noise ; it 

 seemed as though several regiments were engaged, and 

 musketry firing with great rapidity. The Indians, 

 terrified beyond description, left their hammocks, and 

 crowded all together, like sheep at the approach of the 

 wolf. There were no soldiers within three or four 

 hundred miles. Conjecture Avas of no avail, and all 

 conversation next morning on the subject was as useless 

 and unsatisfactory as the dead silence which succeeded 

 to the noise. 



He who Avishes to reach the Macoushi country, had 

 better send his canoe over land from Sinkerman's to 

 the Essequibo. 



There is a pretty good path, and, meeting a creek 

 about three quarters of the way, it eases the labour, 

 c2 



