Shooting Down the Palls. 
310 
7G0. We gat over tiie Aclirauuicra as successfully as we did the 
Rappu Falls, although tlie volume of water forced its way through the 
granite barriers with such power and rapidity that we flew through the 
turbulent eddy to tlie foot of the cataract lu<.e an ja-row shot from its 
string. We also passed without accident the Falls of Curutoka or 
Orotoko, as well as those of Ouropocari, although they presented to the 
eye nothing but a white mass of foam. The largest boat, whicli was 
occupied by Mr. Fryer and myself, always led the way for the. little 
squadron and accordingly was tlie first to shoot falls, so as to be ready, 
with immediate help in case of accident, I being then always in a 
position to watch the boats behind making their way down. Certainly 
there were moments that I passed with bated breath and contracted 
chest. As quick as thought th<> boat appears at the summit of the fall or 
rapid, and the next instant it is already hidden in the foaming cauldron 
which the devilishly excited wild unfettered billows foi-m at the 
bottom. It is then suddenly tossed up from here as if no lighter than a 
feather and. while still shivering in its veiw timbers, glides sm^)othly on- 
wards through the waves beyond the reach of the troiibled waters. Once 
safely on the smooth, all hands are btisy bailing out the water that has 
been taken in, and prevent the vessel sinking. I must admit that the 
very sight of it had something more alarming and terrorising in it for 
me, than shooting down in such a boat myself because o^'^ing to its 
taking place so rapidly one cannot realise the risk that is run. The 
most awful moment for me was always when, the boat being dragged 
to the summit with momentarily increasing rapfidity, we had to rest 
our hands in our laps, and without daring to touch even a board or 
any other ohject in the corial, submit our will entirely to the might 
of an irreisistible power. The slightest jerk of the hand might upset 
the balance of the boat when everyone must already give himself up for 
lost: once it has reached the .summit, there is but an instant to choose 
hetwe(^Ti: lifp and death. The watery billows nt the foot of the fall re- 
store the bated breath, and show that the dangerous leap is over, while 
the contracted chest expands in the consciousness of life being preserved 
t>y keeping absolutely still. 
770. Many of the larger and smaller rapids that caused us whefi 
on the way up so much sweat and sorrow were hardly noticeable and 
could be passed without danger, while the continually pouring rain 
made those that were visible still less dangerous, as I had expected, be- 
cau.se the waters of the Essevjuibo were rising hourly. 
771. After passing Tambicalto Island and the mouth of the Siparun! 
Or Red T?iver, the Essequibo as a consequence took on a more reddish 
tinge. Owing to the colouration of its chief tributaries between the 
Rupununi and the month of the Essequibo in the Atlantic Ocean, the 
waters of this section of the main stream show changes of colour no 
less than four times, although this is less striking in the wet season 
owing to the quantiity of detritus that all the affluents bring along with 
them, than it is in the dry. The Rupununi gives the hitherto rather 
greenish-blue waves a whitish-yellow appearance which, owing to the 
