200 
My Brother's Cure for Laziness. 
columnar trunks crowned the top uf the ravine, I felt just as much 
overcome with the sublimity and peace that was diffused over this lovely 
little spot as if I had stepped into some spacious and venerable Gothic 
building. 
453. The Indians Avhom we had sent to Torong-Yauwise to fetch our 
belongings returned a few days before our departure for Roraima : after 
being amply rewarded for their honesty and services rendered, they 
went back to their settlement the following morning. Just as this cir- 
cumstance afforded us a fresh proof of the blameless honesty and 
probity of these people, so next day we were to learn how easily the sus 
ceptibilities of these children of nature can be wounded. Amongst our 
Macusis Avere three villagers from Xappi who, when occasion offered, 
were among the most cunning in shirking Avork, a failing for wliieh tliey 
had already been several times called to account. To finish our labours 
expeditiously, all hands were requisitioned again to-day, with the result 
that everybody hurried up, and set to work, ex((>pt our three lazy-bones 
who remained quiet in their hammocks. My brotlier sent for them, but in 
vain: now he went himself and demanded their assistance: but this pro- 
duced no other result than a shaking of the head and their continuing 
as they were. Irritated at this behaviour, and bearing in mind the salu- 
tary effects that liad followed a similar coup-de-main for laziness 
amongst tlie carriers on his first journey, he took his cutlass and cut the 
hammock ropes that were tied to a tree of all three whereby tlie dilatory 
fellows were quickly brought from the ground to their feet. Calmly and 
masterfully controlling their fury, they now obeyed his orders and 
carried out their duties without a murmur: — but next morning they 
were gone without leaving a trace, their susceptibilities being wounded 
to the very deptlis. Without provisions, without receiving any payment 
whatsoever for their services, they had started on their retui-n journey 
to Nappi during the night: tliey had rather suffer hunger, tr-ouble and 
hardship than remain longer Avith those who had made a laughing-stock 
of them. 
454. The long-desired Serekongs also arrived at our place on the 
following day. They entered our village headed by their chief, a vener- 
able old man with long snow-white hair. In' spite of his Avrinkled skin 
and great age, which Avas more particularly noticeable in the emaciated 
figure than in the colour of his hair — for up till now I had only noted 
this peculiarity in one individual, and had never seen l)aldheadedness 
even amongst the oldest Indians — curiosity had nevertheless induced 
the grey-headed old gentleman to undertake the lengthy and laborious 
journey to see the Paranaghieris. The men had their long hair combed 
nicely backwards, and plaited into a long pig-tail which gave them quite 
a Chinese appearance. Except for this fashion of dressing the hair and 
the more pecidiar characters in Avhich the body Avas painted, they corres- 
ponded in physical confornmtion with the Macusis and Arekunas: this 
was also the case with the Avomen, several of whom were accompanied by 
their children whom they In'ought to us soon after arrival so that we 
might breathe upon their faces and bodies, and so restore them back to 
health. Strangely enough, as among the Orientals, the breath is re- 
