CHAPTER IX. 
Manners, Cvf^tonifi, Lanfjiirif/c of tJir Jlfaruftif! o.s veil of other Trihes—^ 
Van IJein el coiicerniiKj El Doroilo und Laic parima — Tlte Amn::ions 
• — ATn<i:<rii. >S7o»r.s — lUnrascfi of iJic jMaciisi.^ — JlfediciiHtl Properticsi 
of certain Plants and Ihrlr Appliralion — .1 Trader'^ unfortunate 
Sprrulalion — .1/// liroilicrs Return to Pirara—Tirdgr's Return to 
(leorgefon-n—Resnlts and Course of my tirofliev's Journeif frotn Oiir 
Yillaf/e to Ciii/inii — Tiinction of the Knl-oiam (uid Yuruani — Garoni 
—Basin of Ihc Canni — .¥/. Irutipu — T'irrr Cal:o — JSasin of the 
Mazaruni — T>irrr Annan-ai — ^ouroci^ of the Carimang — Ciitsi — 
Mvsa paradisiaca in irild state — Ka poi-tipu and Warima-tijJu Rocks 
— Rirer Paruinia — Kaiirntipn Mountain Pange — Basin of the Cuyuni 
— Cara-ntta Rocks — Junction of the Carapa n'ith the IVenamu — 
f^andstone Wall of Poinkaivatu — Innnapara Cataract — Territory of 
the Akavais — Inaction of the Wenaimi vith the Cni/uni — Estuary 
of the Ekruip'kii — Ekreku ^fountains — Indian Fishing. 
501. Our almost iininterrnpted iiitei-conrso with the Macnsiis and 
the long time we spent in their territory had naturally made us hetter 
acquainted Avith their manners, cnstoms and langnage and especially 
more intimate with their character than conhl possibly he the case with 
other trilies. Amongst the latter, owing to our stay being limited to hut 
a few days or seldom longer than a few weeks, their languages remained 
almost wholly unintelligible, and we consequeiitly as a geueral rule only 
got to know just so much of their social life that in-esented itself to onr 
experience and observation: nevertheless the undoubted fact became 
apparent, even from this little, that just as the iidiabitants of South 
America differ but slightly from one another in their build of body, so 
they fairly well eorrespond with one another, as regards main features, in 
their mental fa<-ulties and character. T do uot consider it out of place 
therefore to sum up here my experience relative to the social, moral, and 
spiritual life of the Macusis and at the snnie time to specify the varia- 
tions met with in other tribes. 
5G2. T have alrea<ly stated that the ^Facusis are one of the most 
numerous and powerful trilies in British duiana, that they occupy the 
5?avaniiahs l»etween the Rupununi, Parima. along the Pacaraima and 
rannkii Ranges to the number of al)Out l,.")()n souls, their wliole mem- 
bership ]»ossil)ly amounting to about .''.,000, and that they are noted for 
their peacedoving, complaisant, gentle and friendly character, but 
especially for their love of order and cleanliness. 
no.'^. PufPon sketches the following characteristics of the occupants 
of South Anu-rica : " Although the savage of America corresponds in his 
luilural dis]iositions with men of the civilised world, this nevertheless 
does not weaken the contrai-y statement about the general degeneration 
of the animal organs in that portioi^ o^ the world. Among the al»origines, 
