B3S The White Man's Abandoned Heaeth, 
Sensation to find iu tlie midst of tliis wilderness an absolute indication of 
advanced civilisation. At the foot of the hill a hii-ge half-tnnibled-down 
shed, the loof of Avhich was covered with creepers, and the large hearth 
with coppers, showed that the former owner engaged in the manufacture 
of arnatto, which, as I have already said, used to be carried on to a large 
extent along llie area of the I'omeroon. "A white man,'" the Indians 
told me, 'Hised to live liere once, but after the death of his wife, suddenly 
abandoned the liousc and left cvfrvlhiug it <-ontaiut'd behind." I 
determined to spend the night here. {'eaulilul lioweriug bushes, huge 
Agares uikI Yticcds wci-e ]ilau((Ml between the eocoa-unt palms. The 
dwelliug-lionse on the liill, surroniided w ith the most lovely oruiimental 
and eeonoiiiie l*rees from foreign climes, and the golden yellow fruit that 
forced itself into piominence from amongst the luxuriant verdure of 
the orange and lemon tiees piove*! a welcome dis^-ovcu-y. The owner 
must liave l)een very loml of llnwers, and ]i;id a)»]);! rently possessed a 
cultured taste. Cluinning gidnps of .ftisiiiiii t'^niiihoc, Meiia AzcduracJi , 
Pohii iiinn jiulrJicn iiim , (Itirdoiia fntf/nnis, l.rora, /lihisriis rosa sinensis, 
Clcrodcnd roil fnu/nnis, Piinica, Nrriiiiii and the dilferent Ccirlifolia and 
Monthly lioscs grew around the front of the sondtre house and filled the 
atmosphere with their ]>erfume, althongh Lliey were already quite stifled 
by the Miniosac and ^olancar which seemed to have sworn to suitytress 
and destroy the children of foreign (dimes. The back of the building 
was enclosed with a quantity of frnit tr<'es su(di as Perscd, Mdnf/ifera, 
'Momwfa, A rtnc<i)'piis, A nncti rdiirm , Psidiiini, etc. The owner liad tried 
to make his seclnded liouie as ]»leasant as possible: besides that, one 
could enjoy froiu it a charmingly surprising view over the rank growth 
of forest enclosing the hill. Even our northern forests do not sltew such 
a multiferous gi-adation of all shades of green. Tlu' building was 
ap]>arently on tlie verge of r\iin, and the steps leading to the gallery and 
main entrance of the house were already broken. The rooms were 
occupied by bats, lizards, s]uders, and centipedes, which seemed to be not 
a little disturbed at the interruption, judging by the way they crossed 
over the walls iu all directions Avheu w^e entered. Ugly geckoes 
(Ecmidorfi/his imihoiiia. and Plafj/darfi/his thrroni/^r) at which my 
Oaribs likewise shewed the greatest horror were at the same time 
crawling up and down them. 
818. To ensure a quiet night we first of all waged war upon the 
enemy and without mercy chased them out of the room bv burning off 
gunpowder. The heaps of eartli on the floor with their blackened fire- 
sticks shewed tliat this house had been frequently used as sleeping 
quarters for the passing Indians who cannot spend the night without a 
fire nnder their hammocks. The thermometer recorded 85° F. in the 
open. 
819. Next morniug Ave made an inspection of the upper floor, in 
which' we found all the furniture heaped up in one of the rooms, but 
already completely destroyed by the Termites. After plundering the 
fruit-trees we went on our way. 
820. The l)anks of the Pomeroon became higher by little and little, 
the fringe of Cnlndiiims disappeared and was replaced by low Inga 
