28 



WANDERINGS IN SOUTH AMERICA. 



far-extending range, vvliere it begins to fall off gradually 

 to tlie south. 



They look like two ancient stately towers of some 

 Gothic potentate, rearing their heads above the sur- 

 rounding trees. What with their situation and their 

 shape together, they strike the beholder with an idea 

 of antiquated grandeur which he will never forget. 

 He may travel far and near, and see nothing like them. 

 On looking at them through a glass, the summit of the 

 southern one appeared crowned with bushes. The one 

 to the north was quite bare. The Indians have it from 

 their ancestors, that they are the abode of an evil 

 genius, and they pass in the river below with a reve- 

 rential awe. 



In about seven hours from these stupen- 



ra^oura^^^^" ^^^^ ^^^^ leave the Essequibo, 



and enter the river Apoura-poura, which falls 

 into it from the south. The Apoura-poura is nearly 

 one-third the size of the Demerara at Stabroek. For 

 two days you see nothing but level ground, richly 

 clothed in timber. You leave the Siparouni to the 

 right hand, and on the third day come to a little hill. 

 The Indians have cleared about an acre of ground on it, 

 and erected a temporary shed. If it be not intended 

 for provision ground alone, perhaps the next white man 

 who travels through these remote wilds will find an 

 Indian settlement here. 



Two days after leaving this, you get to a rising 

 ground on the western bank, where stands a single 

 hut ; and about half a mile in the forest there are a 

 few more ; some of them square, and some round, with 

 spiral roots. 



Here the fish called Pacou is very plentiful : it is 



