Along the Essequebo and Potaro. 145 



hole, which was afterwards plugged up so that the labba 

 could not escape. In the morning it was found dead 

 just inside, choked by the smoke, and its skin utterly 

 spoilt by the fire : its flesh, however, was delicious. 



Early on Saturday, the 30th, we reached the mission, 

 and after reloading our own boat, and procuring, through 

 the kindness of Mr. Quick, a plentiful supply of limes, 

 cassava, plantain, and sugar-cane — with the last of 

 which the men provided themselves with large bundles 

 — we started for the Indian settlement at Wiaparipie. 

 where we camped and passed the next Sunday. Truly 

 the mission at Ichowrah, so far as its position is con- 

 cerned, seems to be not only most beautifully, but also 

 most advantageously situated, for vegetables and other 

 plants grow to perfection, as judged by the samples that 

 came under notice. 



At Tumatamari, we found it impossible to take the 

 boat down the south channel, for the water was consider- 

 ably lower than it had been a fortnight earlier; and we 

 had therefore to let it down by the steep and dangerous 

 northern part, which, however, was accomplished with- 

 out any very serious mishap. One cannot but be struck 

 with the escape from serious accident under such circum- 

 stances; for the chances of a safe performance are by 

 no means always satisfactory, where the slipping of a 

 rope or the sharpness of a rocky projection in the chan- 

 nel might make all the difference imaginable as to the 

 result. 



The districts about the junction of the Potaro and 

 Essequebo are said to be very good hunting ground.-, 

 more especially for the large peccary or kairuni (D,co- 

 tyles labiatus) and the tapir or maipurie (Tapir t± h/hl ri- 



T 



