14 
A H^isH OUT OF Watku. 
really large numbers was sliown by the quantify tliat the In-lians caught 
ou the hook. At the same time, auotlier equally interesting fish fre- 
quently took the bait, the Plindodiis xnsuj)iin Jard., a creature that is 
particularly noticeable owing to its external conformation because tlie 
second dorsal fin reaches from the tail to the f'n-st dorsal on.^ so that tlie 
tirst pair of tloat tins are of considerable size. AVlien tlu-own out of the 
water, it often survives for more than half an hour outside its own ele- 
ment: its food consists of small fish, its flesli is undoubtedly one of the 
most dainty morsels, and it is caugiit up to IS iiu-lu's in length . 
3i. As on the Kupununi, I also found on the sandbank mentioned 
above, the Dcsiitaitili as covered with its parasite, the Loranthm (juiunr 
ensis. Tlie opposite bank of tlie Mahu was regularly bordered with lofty 
trees of the Miiiiom Schonihurgkii Beiith., the white florescence of which 
covered the dark and delicate featheiy fnliage like a veil. The thermo- 
metrical observations, from ord to 5th April gave the following results: — 
Thermometer Eahrenheit. 
1842 
G a m. 
9 a.m. 
12 noon 
3 p.m. 
6 p.m. 
Remarks 
3rd to 5th 
April. 
72.50 
80.12 
89.12 
89.43 
82.50 
A little driz- 
zling rain 
3.J. According to the natural dividing line, the Takutu from its 
source to the moutli of the Zuruma was regarded as a portion of the south- 
ern boundary between Britisli Guiana and Brazil, and the name Vicloria 
Regina with date was therefore cut into a Mimosa (Sect. 298), the 
species of which it Avas impossible to determine on account of the want of 
flowers: the Queen was then proclaimed Mistress over the area with 
eveiw prescrilied formality. 
36. On the löth April we resumed our journey : the baggage was for 
the most part packed in the three corials in which Mr. Goodall and my- 
self also took our places, wliile my brother and the others proceeded 
overland along the bank. \\\t\\ his party he crossed the shallow spot 
in the Takutu about half an hour's distance from our camp wdiich the 
Brazilians had used as a ford during their connection Avith Pii-ara. and 
those on foot were soon lost to sight: we travelling by corials instead, 
made but extremely sIoav progress on account of the low water. 
37. In respect to the forest of great lofty trees, the hemiiiing-in of 
the banks of the Takutu corresponded entirely with that of the Mahu: 
now and again the banibu {Gnadiia latifoUa) replaced the arborescent 
scrub. Though the corials were at first always confronted with water 
sufficient for us to pole them along in, this soon failed us in the bulk 
on account of the numerous sand l)anks over Avhich we were forced to drag 
them : for this reason we reached the camp several hours later than those 
on foot, where to the joy of our hungry stomachs we found the filled-up 
meat-pots ready emptied into the dishes. The huntsmen had killed a deer 
and Hamlet's substitute, Adams, likewise a black, had done everything 
to make us forget his temporary loss. 
