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THE NATIONAL GEOGRAPHIC MAGAZINE 



RORAIMA, THE GREAT FLAT-TOPPED MOUNTAIN NINE MILES LONG AND THREE MILES 

 WIDE, RISES LIKE A VAST BATTLEMENT CONSTRUCTED BY TITANIC NATURE 



The southwest face affords the only practicable way of ascent. About one-quarter 

 of the distance from left to right (west to east) an oblique series of ledges makes it possible 

 to reach the summit, a task first accomplished in 1884 by Sir Everard im Thurn. On the 

 east the waters from innumerable silvery falls flow into the rivers of Guiana, southward 

 they enter the branches of the Amazon, while on the southwest they run into the wide- 

 circling tributaries of the Orinoco. 



stimulated the mind, which had been so 

 long depressed by the gloom of the 

 forests. 



The trees grow only in patches and 

 tongues along the hollows, where for a 

 time the copious rains remain ; elsewhere 

 the rolling plains are covered with green 

 grass of somewhat sparse growth save 

 in the gullies, for the old, time-aged gray 

 or reddish soil of this area holds the 

 water for only a brief time. 



Travel was faster now. Terrace by 

 terrace the land rose to an altitude of 

 4,700 feet, and now and again, as at the 

 Karanang and Wailang Rivers, it was 

 necessary to cross the hollows of smaller 

 tributaries of the great Amazonian water- 

 way. At last the high table-land of 

 Roraima was sighted from a high point 

 on the eastern crest of the Cotinga 



( Kwating) River valley, at a distance 

 which robbed it of its impressiveness 

 when viewed from a nearer place. 



THE CARRIERS FEAST ON ANTS AND 

 GRASSHOPPERS 



Life upon the savannas differed in 

 many ways from that in the forests. At 

 the first light of day the fires would be 

 kindled for the early meal, the loads 

 would be apportioned to the bearers, and 

 brisk progress would be made for a time 

 in the relative coolness of the dawn in 

 these higher altitudes. 



Among the bright flowers of the plains 

 myriads of basket-like spider webs glis- 

 tened with the dew. Hundreds of the 

 gray dome-nests of termites could be 

 seen from any hillock, with here and 

 there an earthen-colored mound fresh 



