14 Timehri. 
returned later to New York, while the other members of the expedition con- 
tinued on to Demerara. By July Ist the steamer had found the muddy waters 
of the Guiana rivers, the low coast with its many chimneys, rising like light- 
houses, was sighted, and the welcome landing at Georgetown was made. 
With the aid of new-found friends in the colony, final preparations were 
hastened for the journey into the interior. On July 8, khaki and leggings were 
donned and we took the steamer up the Demerara River. The scenery along 
theriver, monotonous though it is, and the incidents of communication between 
steamer and shore prevented the time from passing tediously, and ere long 
Wismar was reached, our equipment was transferred to the waiting train, and 
we started for Rockstone Landing. Stopping for a moment at a wayside 
station, a hurried dash to the ground yielded a few specimens of bugs or 
beetles, much to the amusement of bystanders and trainmen ; and so to the 
Essequebo. Owing to the heavy rains of the preceding weeks the river was 
well up under the hostelry, so that the servitors angled from the very windows 
with almost comic success. The howling of the monkeys, new to our ears, roused 
us early on the following morning, and as the day was Sunday we remained 
here and occupied the time profitably in collecting on the sandy lowlands 
and rises back from the river, where the drogher ants ply their ceaseless course 
from leafy bough to underground chamber. On the 10th of July Sprostons’ 
capable service brought us to Tumatumari, and here, as well as further on up 
the rivers, we found ourselves the first occupants of the rest-houses built for the 
use of travellers to Kaieteur. Our equipment weighed upwards of 4,000 lbs. 
and demanded much time for its shipment, so that the time was devoted to 
collecting about Tumatumari until the morning of the 13th. The journey to 
Potaro Landing, and the walk across country to Kangaruma were accom- 
plished without incident. At the latter place three Patamona Ackawoi 
Indians were secured through Sprostons’ agency, and the journey resumed. We 
arrived at Tukeit on the evening of July 15th, one week from Georgetown. 
It was almost a physical relief to reach the foot-hills of the higher ground 
beyond, welcome indeed after the continuous lowlands up to this region. And 
doubly enjoyable was the first glimpse of Kaieteur, which we saw from a point 
far down the gorge, above waters so still that not only were the mountains 
reflected in all their beauty of form and colour, but even Kaieteur itself was 
mirrored in an inverted position. (Plate 1.) 
The next task was to accomplish the transport of our goods to the Kaieteur 
Plateau. ‘Two of our own Indians were sent for bearers to the settlement on 
the Chenapowu, about ‘‘ Holmia,” the home of the late Dr. Bovallius, thirty 
miles beyond the rim of the great falls. On July 19th Sprostons’ men took up 
enough equipment to establish a camp and field-base on the Potaro River, 
about a mile above Kaieteur, and here the writer took up his work. The tales 
of Kaieteur have been too well told to need repetition by him, but a just 
tribute must nevertheless be paid to the magnificent and unequalled grandeur 
of the great falls. It was a never-ending delight to explore the plateau so as to 
gain newer views and impressions of the beauty of this natural marvel. We 
were fortunate indeed in the choice of a route to Roraima which passed this 
way. 
ee 
