Owe Boats aee Hauled Along the Bank.s. 
Jlortsmaim, as we did on the present oceasiou at the small cascades 
wliicli lie says the KupuMimi possessed iu the neighbourhood of the 
Makaraua <Makarapan) Eauge, along the southern slope ot which it 
winds: because, except for a single trilling rapid, which liowerer is 
visible only during the di'y season, the bed of the lower Rupununi up to 
the Curuatoka Eapids is nowadays free of all stone dams, and essential 
changes must have accordingly taken place in its lower basin since 1739. 
It were quite possible, with the breaking through or washiug away of 
the rocky cliffs, that those "rochers converts de figures'' which we looked 
out for in vain from its mouth to the spot mentioned* would be 
destroyed. 
707. Close to the portage and reaching to tlie Ruiiununi are some 
small hills which the Wapisianas called Mawunna-meketsiba which 
might mean something like Eye Hills, though they could not supply us 
with the reason for the name: intimately connected with them was a 
larger hill Waratti. At 1 o'clock we found ourselves opposite the 
southern Doint of the Canuku Ranges, which the Indians call Taruca^ 
pani, that rises on the eastern bank. On its northern base the small 
creek Witzapai falls into the Rupununi above which also a rapid drew 
many a drop of sweat from us: on its southern base we found the 
mouth of the Araqnai. Beyond it. a thick group of trees beckoned at us 
so invitingly with its cooling shade, that by o o'clock we had already 
pitcKeid our camp there. Evening closed in upon us with one of those 
fearfnl thunderstorms that already had so often made our hearts heat. 
It Avas lucky that we had chosen the group of trees for a night's lodging 
for without the protection of their thick tops the raging storm would 
withont floubt have carried the tents up and away. Even the corials, 
during the uproar, were in danger of sinking. The thermometer at 
lireak of day registered 70° F. : the wet bulb only a difference of half a 
degroe. The river had again risen about four feet. 
708. With every forward stroke our difficulties increased until 
finally the paddles had to be taken in, because the rapid current Avas too 
strong to pull against: indeed Ave were sometimes draAvn back by it and 
only saved from sinking by holding on to trees that had been thrown 
doAvn. These and the bushes once more reaching to the water side 
proA^ed the only nutans that enabled us to proceed. The Ru]>ununi or 
Camoyepaugh (Stm River) as the Indians also call it, had up to now 
lost only a little of its width, because it still always varied betAveen 250 
and 300 feet. The pretty Cfili/coitlii/llii in Avas rt'placed by the l)eautfiul 
EUsaheitha coccinra, its scarlet blossoms and scarlet-red A'elvety seed- 
pods lending a luilliant colouration to the landscape. Although this 
lovely tree gaA^ our eyes cause for congratnlatio]i, the Gcnipa Caruto 
Humb. Bonp., the Rucu of the Indians, OAcrladen Avith its tasty product 
evoked louder expressions of delight amongst our companions; who, with 
a cry of "Ruku, ruku," jumped ais quick as lightning into the river to 
climb the tree and get possession of the fruit that reached the size of a 
*. See A. von Humboldt : Voyage unx r(>irioiis I'tjuimex. etc.. IJook VIII, Ch;i|itei- XXI^' 
p. m 
