On the Upper Demerara Rluer : About and Aboue 

 the Great Falls. 



By the Editor. 



much has been previously published by various 

 writers concerning the Lower Demerara 

 River, that an apology would almost be 

 owing to colonial readers for the presentation of still 

 another account thereof.* This, however, is not the 

 case with the upper parts of the river. The Indian track 

 at Cumparu, leading across to the Essequibo above its 

 lower rapids, has long been a favourite track for travellers 

 by which more easily to reach the higher parts of that 

 river, and may therefore be regarded as well-trodden 

 ground ; while to the Great Falls of Oruru-Mallali, 

 there have been frequent visits made, more particularly, 

 perhaps, by the various pastors conne6led with the 

 Mission Stations along the river. Of the distri6l above 

 the Great Falls, but little is commonly known, casual 

 visitors being altogether choked off either by the 

 inability to procure crafts above, or by the very great 

 difficulty of the long portage along which boats 



* In his very amusing and interesting, though peculiarly hetero- 

 geneous, " Chapters from a Guianese log-book," a very detailed and 

 diffuse account of the Lower Demerara Distrift, below the Falls, is 

 given by the late Revd. C. D, Dance, to which work, the reader who 

 wishes to become familiar with the chief features and places of this 

 lower distria is referred. It is to be regretted that more care was not 

 taken, in the department of Natural History at least, for the dissemi- 

 nation of more accurate information than is often to be found in the 

 pages of this otherwise praiseworthy work. 



