Up the Cuyuni in 1837. 315 



5th day. Left Payouca at 8. Heavy rain in the night ; 

 Scotch mist in the morning. A few rapids above, after 

 which a large opening — oars and sails — course W. by N. 

 From Camareea to Payouca is a semi-circle by which 

 two large falls in the dire6t course are avoided, and one 

 large and several small falls and rapids substituted for 

 them. I assumed the dire6lion of all the ascents as I 

 found the Indians little acquainted with the power of 

 purchases, and experience had taught me how little they 

 were to be depended on with anything but one of 

 their own bark canoes or woodskins, which two men 

 can carry on their heads with great ease. Former 

 excursions had made me at home in the falls, and I 

 noticed the ease with which they surmounted difficulties 

 that appeared impra6licable, under my direftion ; as- 

 sumed courage and faced the falls nobly whilst I was at 

 the bow of the craft. If I left it everything stood still, 

 and if I took a ramble on the rocks in search of plants I 

 was sure on my return to find the corial in statu quo, 

 and the crew gorging themselves with anything at hand 

 in the eating way. All Indians are gluttons, but the 

 Caribisce will out-eat all the other tribes. 



I must observe that though mechanical knowledge is of 

 great assistance in ascending it is quite useless in des- 

 cending tile Falls. Then the quick eye, dexterous hand 

 and unshaken nerve of the Indian are inimitable by any 

 exertion of European science — he who interferes with 

 them in shooting a fall does so to his own destruction. 

 Payouca is 200 feet above the level and 47 miles West 

 from our departure. Sever .1 blocks of stone were found 

 here of a bluish tinge ana of so fine a grain that we 

 sharpened our cutlasses, axes, knives, &c., upon them, but 



