90 
Hamlet Turns Thief, and is Dismissed.] 
Heudiäck wlio, now completely restored, liad just arrived in company 
witli some Indians from Maripa. As the waters of the Takutu had 
already risen considerably owing to the continued rains, he and his 
companions had been able to use our corial and travel down in it to the 
mouth of the Pirara. He was prodigal in his praise for the Maripa 
villagers Avho up to the last moment liad looked after him with the 
greatest love and care: indeed, so as to strictly fulfil the promise given 
to my brother, some of them had even accompanied him as far as Pirara. 
Kichly rewarded, these returned to tlieir village on the following 
morning. Hendrick's stay in Pirara was but of short duration as our 
supply of provisions and ''trade'' Avas aluiost exhausted and, witli tlie 
commencement of the dry season a start would have to be made on the 
most important object of our expedition, l)ut this Avas only possible with 
a considerable supply of both. Hendrick and Renter, the boathand, were 
tlie only two of our people Avho could l)e sent to Georgetown to l)ring back 
fresh provisions and trade in the big boat Victoria that the paddlers had 
gone down in. I despatched a considerable consignment of Orchids and 
other living plants to Mr. Bach, who had kindly promised to forward 
them on to Berlin — where they unfortunately arrived completely spoilt. 
Hamlet Avas also packed off. Soon after our return to Pirara I missed a 
parcel of beads, and then other things disappeared, amongst them a tin 
case of poAvder, Avhile Hamlet's supply of spun cotton visiblj^ increased. 
At first, suspicion fell upon the Indians, till finally the cunning St(>ckle, 
Avho had made it his business to discovei- the thief, found the incrimin- 
ating tin amongst Hamlet's effects, as well as the Indian avIio had given 
him a considerable quantity of spun cotton for its contents. From that 
moment, Hamlet's honrs with us Avere numbered: he returned with 
Hendrirk and Reuter to GeorgetoAvn as an outcast. - 
229. In consequence of the continued showers of rain, Ave soon .saw 
the mythical old Lake Parima spreading out before us, while the raging 
storm quickly whipped the roused and rolling waves over the tall sedges 
and grasses till they broke on one of the Avooded oases, which emerged 
like fnütful islands out of the now almost boundless flats. 'On account 
of their size two of these oases — without doubt the "Isias Ipomucenas" 
of Don Antonio Santos — specially strike the eye of the observer, 
230. From the time that the outer environs of Pirara began to be 
changed l)y these water-flats, a complete alteration had taken place in the 
animal world. An entirely new creation of hitherto unknown insects, 
l)articularly Idood-sucking Diptera, as well as other uncomfortable 
guests, commenced making a regular pin-gaton' of our lodgings. Swarms 
of sandflies that had hitherto remained far remote from the peaceful 
settlement tortured us by day, while thousands of mosquitoes punished 
us by night: accompanying them, to our bitter cost, was the midge Avith 
blue thorax, white tarsal end-joints, and long sucking proboscis that 
pierces even the thickest clothing. But Avith these less dangerous than 
tormenting disturbers of the peace there yet came a number of rattle- 
snakes and other vipers which the cold and wet drove out of the saA^nnnah 
to the higher levels and especially to the house-thatch where they sought 
a dry and warmer spot for the rainy season. During this period we 
