Along the Essequebo and Potaro. 137 



covered with water, the greater overflow of which must 

 necessarily thunder over the boulders in the wide cata- 

 ract along which we had made our way. The water in 

 the pool, at the eastern side where the great mass fell, 

 was thrown into a wonderful turmoil, boiling and foam- 

 ing in great banks, and spirting huge columns upwards, 

 and for the greater part hidden by dense shifting vapour; 

 while, at the outer part, the surface was broken up into 

 small irregular waves, as on a wind-tossed sea. The roar- 

 ing of the waters at this proximity was terrible. 



The immensity of this grand natural formation can 

 only be fully realised when one is brought, so to speak, 

 into its actual presence, fronting it from the edge of the 

 pool. The weird beauty of the scene, with the vast bluff of 

 the amphitheatre, spreading outwards in all its immen- 

 sity, and rising straight upwards, as it were, to the sky, 

 for nearly 800 feet, with the great thundering mass of 

 falling rocket-like water with its changing mist and rain 

 and foam, outlined against the darkened rock behind, 

 holds one with a feeling of awe; and one turns away 

 from the scene, subdued and quieted. 



The falling mass of water, split up into its various 

 columns, was intensely beautiful, passing from its sherry 

 colour at the edge to a rich amber and pale straw, and 

 then to a creamy-white where it reached the pool; while 

 at the outer and shallow parts, where but thin curtains 

 of water passed, it broke up into pure white sheets, and 

 faded away into clouds of tine vapour or mist, veil 

 within veil as it descended, and visible, where the sun- 

 light gleamed upon it, as a dense shower of glistening 

 rain-drops or stars. The bottom of the small falls on 

 the western side, consisted but of these gleaming masses 



S 



