Glimpses of the Guiana Wilderness. 7 



But despite such little inconveniences we reached Tukuit safely in 

 due time. Tukuit is in the midst of magnficent scenery and directly 

 across the river from the rest-house a cataract springs from the vcrdured 

 mountain crest and plunges down for hundreds of feet to the forest above 

 the clouds. This in itself would be considered worth the entire trip in 

 most parts of the world ; but in the presence of mighty Kaietuerk it pales 

 into insignificance. 



It's a fearful climb up the mountain-side to the plateau, and it's a 

 shame that the way has not been improved and a road built from Tumatu- 

 mari to the falls. Even a decent path from Tukuit would be a great 

 improvement. As it is, one has to scramble and even crawl for several 

 miles up a stony, slippeiy, log-choked, fissure-filled gully at an angle of 

 about 60 degrees. In Kaietuerk you have an asset worth millions, a sight 

 which should attract visitors from every corner of the earth, and yet, 

 nothiug to speak of has been done to exploit it or to bring it within 

 reasonable reach of Georgetown. To be sure, Sprostons have advertised 

 it and have attempted to attract visitors to it, but the service is so poor 

 and the cost of the trip so unreasonable that it is practically prohibitive and 

 only a man who has unlimited time and money at his disposal, and doesn't 

 mind discomforts can afford to undertake the journey under present condi- 

 tions. With a decent road Kaietuerk is scarcely two hours by motor from 

 Tumatumari, and yet one must travel afoot and by boat for two or three 

 days to cover the distance. Moreover, if modernly fast steamers or 

 launches were operated on the rivers and a motor road was built, these 

 stupendous falls, which have no equal in the entire world, could be 

 brought within a day's travel of Georgetown. And it wouldn't cost a 

 fortune to do this ; fifty thousand dollars would be amply sufficient, and 

 a mighty gcod investment it would prove. Imagine leaving town at 

 7 a.m., travelling through marvellous tropic scenery and dining on the 

 plateau beside the falls at 7 p.m. the same day ! 



As a money maker I would rather have Kaietuerk than all the gold 

 and diamond claims or all the timber lands, in the colony. 



On the way up from Tukuit we stopped some time to admire and 

 study those wonderful birds, the Cock-of-the-Rock. Several specimens 

 were obtained for the purpose of preparing a group for the museum, 

 which is now on exhibition, but we saw over 20 of the birds within a dis- 

 tance of half a mile. Their presence here was particularly interesting, as 

 they were supposedly extinct, save in the most unfrequented and distant 

 parts of the Colony. Since then I have found them nesting within one 

 hundred miles of Georgetown. 



When at last one reaches the plateau at the end of the climb one 

 looks upon a totally different land from that below ; a barren expanse of 

 naked rain-worn rock with great lily-like giant bromeliads, strange orchids, 

 nodding blue hair-bells and bracken ; a flora peculiar to the plateau and 

 unlike anything else. 



