298 TiMEHRI. 



beautiful country because there is no Roraima." Every 

 morning and evening, when old and young, headed 

 by their chief Kaikurang, passed by our huts with 

 the '■^ Bakong baimong^^ (goof^ day), or ^^ Sapontcng" 

 (good night), they never failed to add the words : 

 ^^ Matti Roraima-taii, Royai?na-taic" (look at our Ro- 

 raima), pronouncing the word tan very slowly and 

 solemnly. 



The climate and the atmospheric conditions of our 

 settlement were far from having our approval. " Our 

 Village" as we had named the six little huts forming 

 our headquarters, lay in 4® 57' of northern latitude and 

 61° i' of western longitude, about 3,300 feet above the 

 level of the sea. 



In the morning between 4 and 5 o'clock, the ther- 

 mometer only once or twice went up to 58® ; at noon 

 in the shade to 87° and in the sun rarely higher than 

 100° Fahrenheit. Besides these differences of temper- 

 ature there were almost continual changes of light and 

 shade, fog, rain and sunshine. Before sunrise and until 

 about half an hour afterwards, the sky, except for a few 

 transparent cloudlets, kept absolutely clear. The mighty 

 mountain giant Roraima was then unveiled and stood 

 out with its straight lined contours against the blue sky. 

 But soon the mist began to rise from the plains and 

 valleys, and quickly spreading in all dire6lions it 

 was lifted by a sudden gust of wind into the upper 

 regions, from whence it returned in violent showers to 

 the ground. Then there followed in quick succession 

 short periods of bright clear sunshine, the sun warming 

 for a minute the atmosphere previously cooled by the 

 rain, and then hiding again behind heavy storm clouds. 



