i-'4 



TlMEHRI. 



met with since leaving Morabally. At Aretaka rapids, 

 we had passed a small settlement of two houses, prettily 

 situated on an island, and known as " The Croft," where 

 some " river people" lived ; and at the southern end of 

 Cutuabanaboo island, an Ackawoi settlement of a few 

 houses had been observed. Higher up, close to the 

 mouth of the Dahalibani river, and again close to the 

 Curro-curro lake, small parties of Indians had been ob- 

 served in the distance, but no houses had been seen, nor 

 had any communications with the people been made. 



On Thursday, March 21st, we reached the Potaro 

 mission, beautifully situated by the rapids of Ichowrah, 

 and here we settled down for the night, being most kindly 

 treated by the Rev. Mr. QUICK, who had but just returned 

 from the coast. Through his kindness in placing his 

 small bateau and his corial at my disposal, a visit to the 

 Kaieteur became possible ; and, after leaving our surplus 

 stores and the dried skins at the mission, we started next 

 morning for the great falls. 



From Ichowrah upwards, the river is crossed by a con- 

 stant succession of rapids, cataracts and falls, which render 

 the scenery particularly striking. A marked feature of 

 the rocks laid bare, is their sharp-edged and pinnacled 

 form, characteristic of the quartz-porphyry, which along 

 the lower Potaro replaces the granite met wich in 

 the Essequebo. Ichowrah, Mowraseema, Cabanatout, 

 and Auritout, presented no serious difficulties, though at 

 Cabanatout, owing to the height of some closely placed 

 rapids, the boats had to be unloaded and hauled over- 

 land for about a quarter of a mile. At Pacoutout. where 

 the portage is a difficult one, more than half a mile in 

 length, and up and down a fairly steep hill, only the 



