16 Timehri. 
Everard im Thurn’s graphic description of his progress through this self-same 
forest on his way to the first successful ascent of Roraima ; that vivid account 
of the forest darkness and of arduous endeavour well portrays the situation 
and the present writer heartily endorses all that has been written by so masterly. 
a hand. Yet, somehow, one wins through ; the terraced slopes bordering the 
many tributaries of the Kopinang—the Wung at its source, Murepang, 
Makwa, Uliparu, and the head of the Kopinang itself—present many geological 
and biological features to arouse the flagging interest of the observer. Beyond 
the level of the general plateau a steep climb brings one to a savannah 2,800 
feet in altitude, south of Kamana Mountain, where the strong sun dries the 
body and soothes the mind ; a little further, and the eye ranges over the dense 
forest filling the valley of the Chimepir to the clouded hollow of the Ireng 
River basin, and on to the higher walls of the Brazilian mountains beyond. 
Encouraged by scenes of great natural beauty, we at last reached Saveritik, 
now situated on the Ireng, at about noon of August 5th, with the first third of 
the long walk successfully accomplished. 
Taking account of the remaining provisions and of the available time, it was 
evident that a crisis had been reached. Slow travelling and vexatious delays 
had so reduced supplies that they were insufficient for the journey to Roraima 
and back to Saveritik. Two courses were open. I could go on within the 
margin of safety, penetrate for some distance into Brazil, and study the life 
of the savannahs at their northern limit. Or I could still make the effort 
to reach Roraima, in the hope and expectation of obtaining food somewhere 
beyond. The lure of the famous mountain made the decision, and accord- 
ingly the number of bearers was reduced to seventeen, while four men were 
sent back to Kaieteur for additional supplies to be at hand on our return to 
that point. On August 6th we safely passed the river in some very doubtful 
corials ; and it was not without some emotion that I stepped out into the 
forests of a country that will always hold the minds of scientists on account 
of the work of many whose names will never die—Bates, Wallace, Agassiz, 
and Darwin himseit. The trail rose sharply up the forest-clad slopes to a 
point 2,900 feet in altitude, then it dipped into a hollow where the Wotse 
Creek runs, and then it rose again still through the forest to the border of 
the great savannah itself, at an altitude of 3,700 feet. (Plate 3.) 
To the north stood Mt. Elidik and, to the south, Achimatipu; westward 
rolled the great grassy plains marked here and there by the deeper green of the 
forest areas along the water-courses. Here and there an outcrop of reddened 
soil or gray clay added a contrasting colour. (Plate 4.) We strolled on through 
this novel country and sooncame to the Karanang River, which was so flooded 
that much time was occupied in fording it, far above the usual place ; and here 
camp was made for the night. Sandflies were present in immense numbers 
and added their unwelcome attentions to other annoyances ; then, too, the 
natives began to show the first symptoms of the distressing Brazil cold, from 
which latter many were almost incapacitated, while all succumbed in time, 
save the writer. 
Another day brought us to the Wailang River, where again the floods imposed 
a halt so that a bridge could be constructed, A day’s rest proved beneficial 
