Glimpses of the Guiana Wilderness. 9 



of the overwhelming grandeur of the falls and gorge. It is one of the 

 things which must be seen to be realized and the finest pictures seem 

 woefully poor and insignificant after viewing Kaituerk itself. It cannot be 

 truly described as beautiful, rather it is awe-inspiring, sublime, almost 

 terrifying in its grandeur. It is the very epitome of inconceivable power 

 and titanic strength, immeasurable, irresistible, incomparable. In its 

 presence one feels puny, helpless ; a mere atom, and gazing upon it, one 

 is tilled with quaking, unreasonable dread and yet is fascinated, as by 

 some gigantic savage beast of magnificent form and perfect grace. 



Perhaps the greatest attraction of Kaietuerk is that it is never twice 

 the same. Every moment it changes ; with every breath of wind, with 

 each variation of light, with everj passing cloud it assumes a different 

 aspect and to reproduce these in photographs is impossible. And then 

 there is the colouring, for Kaietuerk is no foam-white cataract, but 

 plunges over the verge of conglomerate in a mass of golden brown and 

 amber which changes to cream and pink and saffron as it falls while the 

 rising vapours veil it in clouds of prismatic hues, or bar it with a glorious 

 rainbow. 



In some respects the gorge itself is even more beautiful and impres- 

 sive than the cataract. Here is a view looking down the gorge from the 

 brink, while the next picture shows an Indian poised on the verge of the 

 falls and wrapped in contemplation of the wondrous scene stretched out 

 beneath him. And truly the scene before him is one of surpassing 

 beauty. From beneath his feet at the base of the mighty falls, stretches 

 the great gorge to where its sides are lost in the blue haze of distance. In 

 the very centre winds the silver thread of river, flecked with the white of 

 rapids, while on every side rise frowning precipices cut with black ravines 

 and topped by vast plateaus and everywhere covered with the endless 

 forest of a thousand shades of green ; purple in the shadows, golden in 

 the sunlight ; a panorama such as few spots in the world can boast. 



On our return journey from Kaietuerk we ran everything, even 

 Pakutuerk, and only streaked through the very worst spots. 



Some idea of our speed may be gained from the fact that it took but 

 four hours to run through rapids where we had spent four days hauling 

 up. fc'o accustomed did we become to running dangerous falls that when 

 we reached Tumatumari we ran them also, a feat never before attempted 

 as far as I can ascertain. 



But despite all the beauties, all the wonders of the interior, one is 

 always glad to reach civilization after weeks in the wilderness, and yet 

 there is a strange fascination about the bush, a charm about the great, 

 silent rivers, a something that grips one and makes one long for the 

 wilderness, for the hammock swung under the tarpaulin in the forest 

 for the glow of camp fires, the smell of pungent smoke and the glorious 



