292 
PtAPiD K-iSE AND Fall of Savannah Streams. 
surface of the water. One of the Indians fortunately gripped it and 
with the assistance of several others, and to the joy of all, instead of the 
expected fish, a four-foot long Kaikutschi (CJuDiipsa ralJifro)is Natt.) 
was dragged up into the corial, where it Avas greeted with a shower of 
blows. The little animal defended itself Avith so much fury tluit it 
foreed us several times up to the very end of the l)oat. In the meantime 
my brother's corial that had hurried on ahead liad found a camp on the 
eastern bank, where we at the same time learnt that Sororeng had shot 
the kaikutschi which, diving into the depths with its arrow, had subse- 
quently fallen into our h;ni<ls. to l)e consulted 1)y the Indians for a 
tasty supper. 
690. A considerable number of the pret^ty Midas monkeys had col- 
lected in the trees under which we had pitched camyi: their presence 
proved all the more surprising to us because we had hitherto only met 
with them on the const AA'hcre lluur depredations cause a lot of damage, 
especially in tlic plantain fields. T have only once seen this pretty little 
monkey tamed among the Indians, because it endures confinement for two 
months at most, though it very usu.'illy dies within the first few weeks. 
noi. The rain, still commencing violentlv in the evening, continued 
all night, and we were consequently not a little astonished next morning 
to fiiid that the river had fallen over 5 feet and to see our big boat — it was 
42 ft. long — with its stern jammed in the fork of a tree, and its bows 
resting on hard ground. In spite lof the captain having slept in it, he 
Lad only noticed in the morning what had taken place at night. Having 
left the river bed and turned a bit into the forest, the captain had made 
fast the vessel between two trees which with the quick fall of wate-r 
turned put to be but one, in the foik of which the corial was now fixed. 
It was only with a lot of trouble and labour on the part of all our men 
that we succeeded in getting the boat out of the wedge, and back into the 
river. This rapid change of rise and fall of the savannah rivers is one 
of the most extraordinary phenomena for which we have been unable 
to find an adequately valid cause. 
692. Tired and exhausted with our efforts, we finally resumed our 
journey, and towards midday reached two giant masses of rock in between 
which the current rolled : they at the same time seemed to be the ]X)rtal of 
a large arena upon which, in a long series of cataracts, the waves of the 
Rupununi struggltnl with one another in a fierce trial of strength. A' 
look at this wildly thrilling motive force within its smiling frame made 
us almost forget the difficulties that stood before us. Stretching inland 
from the eastern shore and streA\'n with forest oases, was a savannali 
looking gay and joyous with its grass as fresh and soft as a velvet carpet. 
Towards the South-West there rose the thickly timbered ranges whence 
from near and far the brilliant rosered streaks of Cah/rophi/Uum, 
attracted our attention, while the different species of Bif/nonia with their 
hundreds of Iieautiful white and red flowers, and the Lintdia ^rJifrmhiirfikii 
with its lai ge yellow blossoms, cast the most shoAvy change of colour OA'er 
the deep green foliage. Mt. Burukutuau-yarl with its rugged granite 
cliös and peaks, closed the background of the lovely landscape. 
