FIRST IMPRESSIONS OF THE COLONY. 57 
great shock of disillusionment in the shallow muddy 
waters, and the low ugly wharves which stretch along 
the city side of the river. Even the stranger does 
not expeét mountains in Demerara. for the general 
chara€ter of the country is well-known, but the flatness 
of the place transcends all his anticipations. However 
prepared may be his mind for a low-lying dead-level 
landscape, he will say in his heart, “ Bless me, I did not 
think any place could possibly be as flat as this!” My 
first sensation on reaching the deck of the Eden ona 
cloudy morning in September was one of disappointment 
mingled with wonder. There was so little to look at that 
I did not experience even so much of the sense of 
novelty as when one crosses the English Channel and 
it was a great wonder where Georgetown was. After 
a while, from certain stumpy-looking spires appearing 
above the line of wharves, I judged there must be a con- 
siderable extent of town behind the inelegant sheds at 
the-waterside, On closer inspeétion, it seemed as though 
Georgetown, with its broad river and its shipping, might 
pass for a very poor imitation of Antwerp, if it were not 
for the absence of the dominating spire and the presence 
of the cabbage palms, which instantly labelled the place 
as'tropical, Onceashore, however, I soon lost my sense 
of disappointment in one of surprise at the broad re€tangu- 
lar streets, the creditable buildings, the lively stir of 
- Water Street and the orderly chara&er of the Stabroek 
market. I think these things strike one before one 
grows aware of the strange medley of races and the other 
peculiar features of the place. At any rate, they were 
what 1 noticed immediately in driving from the stelling. 
Next in order, if I remember aright, came the wealth 
H 
