ITINEKARY. Ixxvii 



time, but got our things into the boats as quickly as possible, and 

 hastened to drop down the creek. 



There was just the chance we might be able to get a bag or two of 

 I'ice at the gold-mining camp farther up the river — for it is always the 

 cereals that make the difference. On the other hand, we should have 

 lost a day if the attempt failed ; though probably we might be able to 

 get sufficient to make up a day's supply even considering that the camp 

 was so far away from supplies and was under Government regulations 

 as to the food of the labourers. Anyhow we decided to make the 

 attempt ; and as I knew the manager I started off with a very full 

 crew in the boat, which had been discharged for the purpose. As it 

 turned out, they also were running short, and were daily expecting the 

 proprietor himself in the relief boats with three months' supplies and a 

 fresh batch of labourers. We should meet him on the open river, in a 

 day or two most likely, and could then procure what we needed. To 

 make it worse at the camp, their ground-provisions had failed, owing to 

 the very exceptional dry weather of the last three months — a state of 

 things that seemed to be general along the river, where the Indians 

 were supplementing their cassava with grated mora seeds mixed in 

 before baking, and making a by no means pleasant addition. 



We therefore dropped down the river feeling secure that we would 

 meet the boats before passing over the unobstructed course. Even with 

 little current in the low water, however, we had already rounded 

 Teboco and passed through the rapids, in which there is a clear view 

 across, before we came upon them just near camping time — with a 

 much gi-eater relief than can well be expressed, for in the long series 

 of falls below there was every possibility that we might pass them in a 

 different channel without being aware of it. It was an extra pleasure 

 to see Mr. Barnard, the proprietor, himself with them ; and he explained 

 that they had been delayed several days beyond their normal time 

 owing to the very low state of the river. We were by no means loth 

 to dine with him that night, the more so that he had fresh meat and 

 fish, which his huntsmen had obtained while the boats were struggling 

 with the falls ; and our men enjoyed the fii'st square meal they had 

 had since getting to the Kurubung camp. 



With the explanation of our plight we felt our troubles and anxiety 

 over, for Barnard most kindly offered all the assistance required ; but 

 as we were already so far down, McConnell only accepted a bag of rice, 

 knowing the difficulties of the food-supplies in these far distant parts. 

 As it happened, we were considerably delaj'ed by the low water, and it 

 must have been a common thought to all of us, though unexpressed, 

 that it was a pity a second bag had not been taken, for it was with 

 very tightened belts and sharp desire that we at last reached the land 

 of plenty at Bartika. What it would have been like if we had missed 

 Barnard among the falls, none of us cared to contemplate — sufficient 

 for the day was the evil thereof. 



It only remains to add in a few lines that for any traveller to 

 Roraima to-day, the problem is a very different one, presenting but few 

 of the earlier difficulties. By the Potaro route, there is a steamer 

 available to a point on the Upper Demerara liver from which a short 

 railway runs to a station on the Essequibo river, above the first set of 



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