66 Timehri. 



Their eyes however missed nothing and every movement was followed 

 and noted. The Boviandcrs, according to their custom, kept up a ceaseless 

 chattering, and at times a perfect fire of witticisms was maintained 

 between the shore and the boat. 



At last we got under way, the stelling with its little crowd soon 

 vanished from view behind the point, the last straggling houses of Bartica 

 were passed, and our journey had commenced ! 



Our crew was a very fair sample of its kind. Owing to the proximity 

 of the season's end we had a somewhat higher class of men than is usually 

 the case. I believe that at least two of them held captains' certificates 

 and several others bowmen's certificates for this river. Besides these, of 

 course, we had our appointed captain and bowman. There was a fair 

 sprinkling of Acawoi Indians of the more civilized kind — men inured to 

 the hardships of such work and highly skilled in all matters appertain- 

 ing to the handling of any craft from a wood-skin to a boat of our own 

 size among turbulent waters. 



Many travellers in the colony have commented upon the peculiar 

 methods of paddling in unison adopted by such crews. The strokes of 

 the paddles are always in perfect time but there are quite a number of 

 particular variations — little quick movements, flourishes, and raps on the 

 gunwale, rhythmically performed between the strokes which demonstrate 

 absolute control and sure skill. The time and nature of the stroke is 

 apparently regulated by the first pair of paddlers sitting side-by-side in 

 the bow ; the stroke is suddenly altered without any previous warning, 

 and by instinct as it were, the whole crew seem to anticipate the change 

 and act accordingly. The entire performance, although perhaps tending 

 to some waste of energy, is really skilful. Let anyone who doubts take 

 a paddle for himself, change places with one of the crew, and essay to 

 manipulate it. ; he will speedily be disillusioned. 



On the Mazaruni between Bartica and the first rapids there exist a 

 large number of scattered settlements inhabited by Indians and 

 Bovianders. It was at one of these places that we secured, by previous 

 arrangement, a small bateau which was to be used in the river cl aning 

 where the larger boat could not be utilized. Two of the crew were de- 

 tailed to man this craft. 



We made our first camp at the foot of Tutruba ripids. These 

 cataracts at high tide do not appear at all formidable but when the water 

 is low they are dangerous in the extreme and like most other rapids in 

 this river have in time gone by taken their toll of human life. 



The first camp in the bush is not soon forgotten. One has to forget 

 all previous experiences of camping out in other climes. When the 

 weather is dry such resting places are comfortable but when rain is falling 

 the discomforts are manifold. The hammocks are slung between two 

 upright posts driven into the ground for the purpose ; the roof consists 



