TO PARADISE. 
Notes from An Explorer's Diary. 
By R. P. STewarr. 
“The life of man is a journey; a journey that must be travelled, however 
bad the roads or the accommodation.”—(The Citizen of the World). 
July, 1912, Monday.—Start by Berbice River steamer at 7.03 a.m. 
There is no road to Paradise—accommodation to be afforded (appropri- 
ately enough) by district Missionary —tide all in favour and weather fine 
but sultry——so sultry (as is usual in July) that this might be called 
“From Hell ~—a name frequent on the lips of the steamer boys. Three 
together, the Parson, the Commissary and myself ; for the doctor—almost 
necessary to complete the expedition—is only a temporary item of it, 
withal filled with sage counsel and cheerful references to a new post 
morten knife, which he seems to hint will be kept bright against the 
return of the exploration party whole or fragmentary. 
Arrive Sugar Pin. “ Friends” 7.50. Emotional farewell with the 
Doctor at this point. “ Lucy, Lucy” in sight, marked by a group of 
cabbage palms, as we pass “ Highbury ” at 8.20. *‘ Highbury ” is distin- 
guished by a house with a tower, from which the Manager in sugar days 
proposed to keep an eye on his people. It is now out of sugar cultiva- 
tion. Verb. Sap. perhaps. But a whiff of the hospitable old plantation 
days still comes pleasantly across the water as one observes the “rule of 
the river” and quaffs the rosy “ pink stuff” in little glasses, with a wee 
thought of old time while the failing old tower blinks hopes for the 
morrow. 
The public road ends at Highbury ; but it is proposed to make up 
the old road again to Mara, some 16 miles onwards and inwards. 
The “ Ranch“ at 8.40. <A cattle farm, started a few years ago—S5 
shares now up to $35-$40—* Hurrah for the men that work.” 
Meet sugar estate * Mara ~ launch at 9.25 on its putty noisy way to 
town. 
Schepmoed Magistrate’s Court and Police Station (4 men) at 10. Field 
of ripe corn fills the clearing. The weather has been propitious for corn, 
“and the fields of (corn) that were springing 
“ Green from the ground when (last we came), now 
waving above (us) 
“ Lifted their slender shafts, with leaves interlacing, and forming 
‘Cloisters for mendicant crows and granaries 
pillaged by (Mypouries).” 
