A Fishing Trip on the Upper Waters of the Mazaruni River. 65 



admirable combination for this kind of work I cannot imagine. The 

 superb qualities of these three made casting from the reel a positive 

 pleasure and I could drop my bait in any desired spot with a minimum 

 of effort. The traces I used were of fine twisted steel wire made by the 

 same firm and they withstood violent strains without kinking in the 

 slightest and I never lost a fish through any one of them snapping. 



The strength and resiliency of the rod were surprising though it 

 underwent some fierce strains. The Indians in our crew were greatly 

 fascinated by this weapon and I often found them making a minute 

 examination of it. They could not grasp the utility of the rubber button 

 at the end of the butt ; they were convinced it was a ' beena ' of some kind 

 or other ! 



I carried a goodly assortment of spoon-baits varying in size from 1 J 

 inches up to 2 1 inches. I found that the gimp line attached to these 

 spoons at the time of purchase was worse than useless as even a small 

 perai seemingly encountered no difficulty in biting clean through it. I 

 therefore removed it and coupled up the spoon direct with the wire trace. 

 I experienced that only a very small lead weight was necessary with 

 these spoons — about ^ of an ounce. According to the advice of my 

 companion I purchased a small tin of vermillion enamel and therewith 

 carefully painted the concave sides of my spoon baits. I can testify 

 to the increased attractiveness of the baits by such a procedure ; it is a tip 

 well worth bearing in mind. An assortment of spare treble hooks was 

 also carried. Powerful perai frequently snap off one or two hooks of a 

 triangle with their armoured mouths. 



I am afraid this somewhat technical account will tend to bore the 

 reader unversed in matters piscatorial, but it is incumbent on me to give 

 the benefit of my experiences to fellow anglers. 



I have forgotten two other indispensable articles of my outfit namely 

 a small bottle of good-quality, thin, lubricating oil, and a plentiful supply 

 of veterinary vaseline. The oil is necessary for the reel and the vaseline 

 is unapproached as a rust- pre venter ; smeared on thickly it can't be 

 beaten. I also carried a double-barrelled 12 bore shot gun and a good 

 supply of cartridges loaded with JBB and No. 5 shot. I found these 

 adequate. Cartridge cases, unless brass, must be kept dry, otherwise 

 they speedily swell and refuse to fit the breech of the gun. I found the 

 vaseline extremely handy for keeping rust from the gun. 



I think I have now pretty well covered all the various poitits of my 

 equipment and we can now pass on to the incidents of the trip itself. 



You may imagine our departure from Bartica ; there were nearly 

 twenty of us all told and every member of the crew had someone to see 

 him off. Of course, the buck ladies turned out in force, most of them 

 accompanied by a bevy of rotund ' picknies.' Most sedate were these 

 people in their farewells. With the exception of a very occasional inter- 

 change of remarks in their own tongue a stolid silence was maintained. 



