Hillhouse's House on the Hill. 
355 
half-circle in its course. Several miles farther on the Waracal^ara flows 
into the left bank. After this there arise at irregular intervals and at 
different heights, the hills occupied by the Spanish Indians, as already 
mentioned. . 
863. Missionary Cullen had not only got a large new church, but 
also a new residence Avhere he received us with his usual heartiness and 
joviality. As the reverend gentleman detained me several days, T took 
the opportunity of examining the hills as far as it were possible. They 
consist generally of sand, conglomerate of pebble and gneiss, and large 
quantities of burnt clay mixed with iron ore, the undoul>taltle evidence 
of the awful forest-fires, Avith which the coast between the Pomevoon, 
Mahaicony, Abary and INforocco is so often afflicted. The fires are 
mostly due to the accumulation of the huge masses of vegetable residue 
which through the continued drought soon assume the inflammability 
of tinder. These fearful fires generally destroy the fertility of the soil 
for several years. T was also shewn on one of these hills the ruins of 
the house occupied by Mr. Hillhouse, who lived many years among the 
Indians and, next to Dr. Hancock, gave England the first geographical 
accounts of British Guiana, which constituted the immediate induce- 
ment for my brother's travels. 
864. As Mr. ]\rcC11.ntock could not let me have the paddlers who 
had brought us here, and as none of the residents of the Morocco wanted 
to accompany me, I was obliged, after a four days' stay, to proceed up 
stream alone with Stückle and my coloured men, and hire some people 
at the first Warrau settlement. 'Both banks consistied almost exchr 
sively of tlie beautiful white blossomed Cali/pl ranihcs ohtiisa Benth. 
In isolated spots the tree-like bush really appeared as a tree some 30 feet 
high: its wood possesses unusual hardness, and is known in Guiana 
under the name of Cowaco. 
865. As we reached the itabbo I hardly recognised it again, its 
surroundings having taken on quite another aspect. The large sheets 
of water whence bush-tiii<'kets, and larger and simaller oases, as well as 
'Maiirifin palms "emerged on the occasion of my first visit had also, like 
the pretty blossoms of the Crinnm, entirely disappeared. Gutting grass 
and ferns, particularly BlrcJtnnm aurfitf^iifoHii m , .A ftpidiinn f/oi)f/j/]oHlrf; 
and the white flowering RJii/n'cliantJiera dichotoma covered the dried 
flats and a thick felt of IVi/mplinrn leaves the scanty bed of the itabbo, so 
that it Avas only with the greatest exertions that Ave were able to hrealc 
a Avay Ihrongh; the thermometer reached 80° in tlio shade. Drippinir 
Avith perspirnlion and exhausted we reached that picturesquely situated 
village surrounded Avith glorious fruittrees, which I stopped at on m} 
return fi-om the Orinoco Avhen on my Avay to the Morocco ^Mission 
Station (Vol. T.. Sect. 61.")). Desolation and silence reigned in the 
settlement and not a living being was to be found in it, but_e\:erything 
Avas still in the same condition as Avhen I left it — the plates, bottles, 
glasses, etc., in the house of the dead chieftain were only coATred with 
a thicker layer of dust, although sure signs were not wanting that the 
w 2, 
