302 
A CuKioiTSLT Equipped Figure. 
some miles nlwve the river Tiviruan, that we could clearly 
clisiinguisli two shelters and sevei-al Indians on a slight rise 
not far f]-onj the water-side. Our Avhole utteiitioii, however, was 
centered on a tignre who stood from (i to S paces apart from the 
others, was dressed in Avhite, and, as could he confirmed ])y telescope, 
A\ as decked A\ ith a red ea]t : in his right hand he held an open umhrella 
high over his head, even though in view of the sunshine so little 
rain was to he exi^ected. The most extraordinary conjectures forced 
themselves upon us concerning the personality of this curiously equipped 
fignre. Tlie nearer we got, the more carefully could we examine the dress 
of this statnesqne personage, on whom we now recognised a long dagger, 
without sheath, stuck into his hroad waist-helt. 
719. Just as we landed' the extraordinary individual closed his 
umhrella and came down the rising ground towards us, the other Indians 
following him at the same time at a respectful distance. All our sur- 
mises al)out discovering some adventurous European or other interesting 
personality disappeared as we got close by and one of the Indians re- 
cognised him as the chieftain of Watu-Ticaha. We could now enjoy a 
good laugh which we could no longer restrain over the wonderful meta- 
morphosis which the vain Indian jiow presented, foi- the old nuin looked 
too i-idiculons. T)ie laid<y Umhs of the l)ig gaunt figure were stuck into a 
pair of sailor's trousers that had heen white once upon a time, hut 
which liardly reached doAvn to his calves: a long piece of blue cloth, 
tlirough which the slieatliless dagger was stuck, was slung around his 
loins like a scarf : a red woollen cap with long yellow tassels covered the 
head with its large aquiline nose and no less large mouth, and the right 
hand swayed the blue umlirella in proud self-confidence. 
720. My brother recognised in the dagger an old acquaintance which 
he had seen w^oini by the chieftain Siruai who accompanied him on his 
journey to the sources of the Essequibo in 1837. Siruai liad died, and the 
sheathless weapon fell as a royal heirloom to the succeeding chief Waya- 
pari. wlio now woi-e it witli the same pi'ide as his y)redecess()i-. Wayapari 
had himself brought back the umbrella from a journey to the lower 
Corentyne which, by means of the portage Primoss, he had reached by 
water, where he had found it with a timber-getter from whom, Imving 
set his whole heart on it. lie had traded it. The original handle that he 
had broken some time before, was replaced by a forked twig: luit as 
neither he nor his suliordinates knew the purpose of the article, the 
owner, infinitely self-satisfied with his possession, strutted about wnth it 
on every festive occasion, provided that it' was not raining. 
721. His companions were the same fine robust manly figures that T 
had already often noted! among the Wapisianas, with regular features 
and l)oldly curved aquiline noses. They wore a sort of peg, made of wood 
or bone in the perforated under-lip: they carried 6-inch long rounded 
little sticks, the ends of which were decorated with feather l»undles, in 
the ear lobes. 
722. They had done far more than actually carry out onr wishes 
conveyed by the messengers, to bring provisions ;to the landing-place jat 
