Sun and Thikst Exert Tueik Worst. 
8^ 
side of the isolated building where 1 had spent the iright on my journey 
to llamikipang, we came upon a savannah absolutely bare of bush and 
trees anil, at several spots, even devoid of every trace of 
vegetation. It almost seemed as if Sun and Thirst wanted us to experi- 
ence once more the pangs with whicli tliey had so frequently afflicted us 
during this same trip. Towards noon, the thermometer registered 124" 
F. a temperature all the more oi)pressive eonsidering that our path for a 
long while led continuously over sharply-pointed and hot quartz and con- 
glomerate fragments, we searching in vain for the comforting sight of 
water. The Indians hurried to every depression that showed itself In the 
ordinarily level surface, but on each occasion returned weary and dis- 
heartened : even the bed of the Nappi showed nothing but innumerable 
empty shells of the AmpulJaria guianensis. Finally, in a depression in 
the channel of the Quaye we came across a dirty, thick, green, muddy 
mass of stuff that had been fouled by auiniials and birds, ami at the same 
time seemed the favourite resort of a numlier of frogs and toads, for Avhich 
reason we had first of all to strain the fluid through a towel :— but e-A^en 
then it was too bitter to drink and just as we could not even moisten our 
mouths Avith it so also did the dogs draw back when they went to get their 
fill. The sight of some houses on a hill to the eastward, allowed of our 
raising no objections to a circuit of several hours and a pathway through 
C-8 ft. high sedgp^like grass: — ^for water must of course be there. But 
even before reaching them, our burning thirst was satisfied. At the foot 
of the hill on which the settlement was situate, the villagers had dug 
several deep holes which, even if sparsely, contained the water yearned 
for. Everybody eagerly bailed at the cooling drink: the dogs were not 
to be restrained either l)y their master's voice or by sticks, but jumped 
straight into the pits and quenched their oavu thirst before we could allay 
ours. 
210. In the huts we found a solitary hut friendly house-wife who 
immediately set before us fresh cassava-bread and pepper-pot filled with 
the tasty flesh of the Hokko-hen. The men had gone to Pirara to assist 
with the transport of the baggage which the armyboat had brought up 
from Georgetown. All drudgeries of the day "Were forgotten with these 
welcome tidings, our A'cry letters from home were uoav awaiting us, in 
short everything that soul and bodv longed for. With an hour's rest we 
were atrain upon the road, to spend the niaht at Awarra villnce, for our 
feet refused us further service. We had traversed to-daA' a distance of 20 
miles over an open savannah under a temperature of 120" F. 
211. As several of our companions belonged to Awarra. our ari'ival 
caused the most genuine excitement, old and A'ounci' eoming nlono- to w'<A- 
come their dependents: full of smiles and cup in hand, the women hurried 
to their long-absent husbands, the latter not moving so niucli as a muscle 
of their features. Taciturn and unconcerned, they took the calabashes 
which, after emptying, they returned without so much as a Avoi'd or hand- 
shake: just as silently they discharged their loads out of which the ham- 
mock was straightway I'olled. Slung in its old place, the inexorable lord 
and master threw himself into it and regarded with indifference the AA'ife's 
face beaming with happiness, and the noisy kiddies ca])ering around their 
