A Fishing Trip on the Upper Waters of the Mazaruni River. 73 



least six inches of water under the hammocks and most of the camp was 

 afloat ; the river had risen rapidly during the night. It was still pouring 

 with rain and continued to do so till we reached Bartica. I was exceed- 

 ingly glad to get under a genuine roof once more and to sleep that night 

 in a dry bed. 



Altogether I have seldom spent a more enjoyable month and returned 

 to Georgetown in vigorous health. For all those who love, and are accus- 

 tomed to, the ' great out-of-doors' and all that it implies in British Guiana, 

 such a trip will prove delightful in the extreme. To the townsman used 

 to his comforts such an experience may tend to be the reverse of pleasant. 



Anyway a trip of this kind enables one to gain some idea of the 

 possibilities and appearance of the Colony outside of tne usual pleasure 

 trips to places such as Suddie, Rockstone, Berbice, or the Penal Settlement. 

 There are innumerable people in Georgetown who have never been on 

 the outskirts of the interior yet they profess to know something of the 

 colony in which they live. No illusion could be more absurd. The far 

 interior of British Guiana is a different world altogether from the coast- 

 lands, the climate is different, the mudflats vanish, and there is a certain 

 quality of broadness and simplicity in the scenery which is not without 

 its effect on one's mental aspect. 



I kept a careful record of all the fish we caught as set forth 

 beneath. Taking into consideration the swollen condition of the river, the 

 wet weather encountered, and the short daily time spent in fishing, the 

 results may be considered good. 



Perai (Serrasalmo (?) sp.) 26 totalling 74f lbs. j gS^^ J* lb ' 



Lukanani (Gichla ocellaris). 30 total- f Largest fish just over 13 lb. 

 ling 150£ lbs. \ Smallest 3| lbs. 



Haimara (Hoplias macrophthalmus) . 1 weighing 14 lbs. 



' Kurumai ' (Not unlike the English Dace in appearance with 

 slightly golden scales and ruby eyes. Flesh pink when 

 cooked. Swims in shoals) . 2 totalling 4 lbs. 



' Sunfish ' (An elongately shaped fish. "Eye mark" similar to 

 Lukanani near tail). 2 totalling 2\ lbs. 



Paeon (Myletes setiger). 1 weighing 5 lbs. 



Total. 62 fish weighing 249£ lbs. 



I cannot conclude this narrative without a tribute to my friend Mr. 

 S. W. Cole who so unhappily passed away in January, 1917. I only knew 

 him for a few months yet his sterling qualities as a companion and fellow- 

 sportsman will remain forever fresh in my memory. 



