Barima, Waini, and Amakura Rivers. 53 



it is at night, our glorious tropical night, when the con- 

 stellations shine with such distinctness through the clear 

 air, that the sea presents the most charming of sights ; 

 for the water is then vividly phosphorescent, and as the 

 vessel ploughs her way through it, she leaves a perfect 

 galaxy of light behind her, while around her is an ever- 

 present halo of twinkling star flashes. Far away to 

 where the crest of some wave breaks into foam, a faint 

 glimmer, rendered pale and ghostly by the distance, 

 rests on the water, like the wraith of some drowned 

 mariner whose body has long ago sunk peacefully 

 to rest to the bottom of the great unchanging ocean. 



As the mouth of the Waini is neared, a few low forest- 

 clad hills can be seen close to the horizon on the south- 

 west, rising up above the long low streak of wooded 

 coast line. They are situated on the Arooka, a stream 

 tributary to the Barima, and are composed of haematite, 

 sand, and clay. 



At its mouth, the Waini is about two and a half miles 

 in width, but extremely shallow and quite unnavigable 

 for vessels drawing much water. The banks are 'low, 

 chiefly mud, though sand and caddy occur near the mouth, 

 and particularly on the east side where there are a few 

 rough huts erected and used by the inhabitants of 

 the Upper Barima, who sometimes come to fish close 

 by. 



Higher up, the banks are all mud, except near the falls 

 where there are sandy beaches. 



On the west, about two miles up from the sea, is to be 

 noticed what is supposed to be the site of a pitch lake, 

 which presents a curious appearance when seen from a 

 distance, tor the dense mass of green forest suddenly 



