'l'äE MatAMATA TUllTLE. 
21 
toerablc flocks not only during the i-ainy season, but even long after, 
its nest is nevertheless absolutely unknown. On enquiring the reason 
the Indians told me each time, "The bird flies far, far away" — at the 
same time j)ointing to the South — "he breeds there, and long afterwards 
returns to the savannah with the young."' Though one must noG 
always give absolute credit to the statements of the Indian — because 
owing to his natural Avit he only too quickly gets to learn what the trav- 
eller wishes to liear, and accordingly either dislies up in plenty wluit 
suits the latter's curiosity, or at least presents it in drapery woven from 
the thin deceitful threads of false and unfounded natural appearances 
and a whole fabric of superstitions — tlie statement nevertheless in this 
case, judging from our own experience, did have a sufficient basis of 
truth. For on many occasions and tlii'oughout the long periods we spent 
in the savannahs of the Rio Branco, Takutu and Kupununi. as Avell as 
in the areas situated to the east and north of them, we came across the 
bird in the wet season of the year everywhere and frequently, yet we 
never found its nest, though judging from the creature's size, it must 
be fairly conspicuous and striking to the eye. We have also made the 
same remarks in the case of the Cironia mcifpiavi while we found the 
nests of the i\fi/(frrui plentiful on the birge trees of the hemmed-in 
borders and forest oases on the Mahu, Takutu and Cotinga. 
55. The ugly Matamata turtle, which we had not seen since th'i 
Essequibo, was fairly plentiful here. It usually dug itself into the sand 
at the edge of the water, so that the surface of tiie latter lay about 2 
fingers' bieadtli above it, Avhereit seemed to lurk motioidess for its prey: 
it allowed itself to be caught just as quietly, but this was certainly only 
rarely done because, besides its beastly look, it emits a loathsome stench. 
Though among the quadrupeds we now and again saw tapirs they were 
so continually on their gaard that they were already making off for 
the dim distance. The w^ater-haas proved less shy. I often found G to 
8 of them togetlier always forming a line in the miihlU' of whicli the 
young were to be seen. But unless we killed it outright the wounded 
animal every time escaped us by immediately rushing into the water, 
the neighI)Ourhood of whicli it seldom left, and where we waited in vain 
for its return: only wdien tlie Indians sliot one Avitli tlie poisoned arrow- 
was our patience now and again rewarded . 
56. On 13th April we reached the first important Rapid, formed 
by a l»ank of metamorphic greywacke-slate* crossing the river at öGF 
W. : in isolated places it showed large quantities of granite, while in 
others this was entirely wanting. Rapid soon followed Rapid, which 
however were no longer composed of the greywacke-slate, but of innu- 
merable granite and gneiss boulders, that traversed the stream partly 
as isolated masses, partly as closely-opposed rocks. Our torments and 
troubles could only just have reached their culminating point because the 
unloading and hauling of tlie corials had now to l)e tacked on to the 
labours hitherto performed by us : these boats had often to be emptied 

— — ■ — — — ' ♦ 
* No mention of ^reywacke-slale is made in other accounts. (E.E.W.) 
