in Search of Orchidece. 117 



proved to be a snake trailing across the river, ever and anon 

 thrusting up its head as if to keep a look-out, and making use 

 of the same undulating inflexions of its body in the water as on 

 land. Or, passing under some overhanging tree, observe, 

 crouched on one of the branches, the guana, which is of the 

 lizard species, about 3 ft. to 4 ft. from the nose to the end of the 

 tail, and which possesses a coat composed of scales nearly as 

 strong as those of the alligator. Paddle now, with great caution, 

 to a position favourable for shooting the guana ; for the least 

 noise will cause it to drop into the river, and the chance is lost. 

 Take a steady aim with your gun at the belly, and fire : the 

 guana, shot dead, falls from the tree into the river ; and again 

 you would be deprived of your prey, did not one of the Indians 

 dart out of the canoe, and, diving with the speed of lightning, 

 recover the fast-sinking body. The guana affords a delicious 

 meal, and, when roasted Indian fashion, with the skin on, the 

 flesh is more white and tender than that of any bird or animal 

 I have ever seen, not excepting a barn-door fowl. On the 

 banks of the river, and in various parts of the bush, may be 

 observed large burrows, which are inhabited by the laba, which 

 is commonly, though, I believe, erroneously, called amphibious, 

 from its taking very freely to the water when closely pursued ; 

 and it must then be shot with an arrow ; for, as soon as the 

 powder flashes in the pan of your gun, the laba dives, and 

 remains sometimes long under water. This animal, in shape, is 

 very like a Guinea pig, but much larger ; a full-sized one 

 weighing, I should suppose, from eighteen to twenty pounds : 

 its flesh possesses a flavour between pork and veal ; and it is 

 esteemed a luxury in Georgetown, where it is seldom seen, 

 though the Indians, who train dogs to hunt it, will sometimes 

 kill four or five in a morning. On the 23d, I reached the 

 Indian settlement of Wamokai, which is supposed to be about 

 700 miles from the mouth of the Essequibo ; and I determined, 

 with much regret, to retrace my course, after one more day's 

 progress up the river ; for the limited space of my canoe was 

 already pretty well filled with specimens of Orchideae which I 

 had collected. The Masseroni, for about 400 or 500 miles 

 from its junction with the Essequibo, abounds in rapids, and 

 in falls, none of which possess more than perhaps 5 ft. or 6 ft. 

 of perpendicular fall ; yet there is often a succession of small 

 falls, which renders the descent of the river sufficiently dangerous. 

 Some of the principal of these falls are, Waranambo, Aman, 

 Wapopekai, Sarpua, Parokas, and Tekie, which are the last and 

 most dangerous. In proceeding up the river, the canoe was 

 hauled up over some part of the rocks, where there was but a 

 small body of water. I used to laugh much at the Indians, as 

 they were floundering about in the water, hauling and shoving 



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