342 TiMEHRI. 



with them to assist in digging a grave for their friend. 

 Taking two of my men with me, I followed the Indians 

 to their hut and found on arriving there, that the poor 

 fellow was not dead, but had only fainted from pure 

 exhaustion. I did all I could in the way of sending him 

 a small supply of provisions, but as he was so weakened 

 through the lack of proper care and treatment, I have not 

 the slightest doubt that long ere this he must have died. 



Such are the troubles borne almost daily in the search 

 for " Potaro gold." 



The Potaro and Konawarook Road, which has just 

 been completed, extends along the line of the principal 

 placers for a distance of fifteen and a half miles, and 

 Mr. V. R. Carter deserves great credit for the very 

 skilful manner in which he condu6led the work. It ap- 

 pears that a few of the placer holders are somewhat 

 dissatisfied with the windings of the road, but they forget 

 that these windings were necessary for the purpose of 

 avoiding swamps. I do not see what anyone can find to 

 grumble about, and feel perfe6lly satisfied that private 

 enterprise would never have accomplished it. 



About two miles in from the water-side the road passes 

 through a portion of the forest that has been burnt. The 

 conflagration seems to have been very recent, and its 

 course can easily be traced by the charred and blackened 

 tree trunks. The fire is said to have originated with 

 some gold diggers who halted here to rest one night and 

 left a fire burning, which ignited the forest around for a 

 considerable distance. The place is known as the " Fire 

 Burn," and extends over two to three acres. 



Along its whole length the road is interse6led by 

 numerous small creeke, over which substantial trestle 



