386 Down the Corentyn to New Amsterdam. 
of especial interest to my brother because it has apparently been known 
since the 17th century, the very one that Don Francisco Jose Kodriguez 
Barata twice followed.. Lord Stanley's Cataract lies in 3° 59' 16" lat. 
According to barometric readings, they were now still 230 feet above 
sea-level, and many a cataract might still be awaiting ahead. After some 
hours the longest of the corials, which measured 40 feet, was packed, 
only to be unloaded again on the 26th on account of an important falL 
Hunger continued to show its effects more and more visibly on the 
figures of the whole party. On tlie 28th day they had also to unload their 
vessels twice and convey them overland, and the daily ration still fur- 
ther reduced to 3 oz. of farine. New hopes, however, animated the crews 
as they came in the evening to tlie landing up to which my brother had 
made his way in 1836. With eight pounds of farine which had to last 
another four days, because they could not reach the Carib village before 
that, the company weakened by hunger and fever, left the last of the 
large cataracts. On 29tli September the remainder of the farine was 
divided into 15 portions and distributed among the 15 members of the 
expedition. On the 1st October, after 26 days travelling down the 
Corentyn under difficulties and dangers, and without having met a 
single individul they reached the Carib village of Tomatai : here my 
biother was immediately recognised and welcomed by his old friend 
William, who in the meantime had , become the chief. The steaming 
pepper-pot was soon set before the famished travelleis. They reached 
New Amsterdam on 9th Octolier, and Georgetown on the 12th. 
965. Our larger expeditions were now completed, but my brother, 
and conse'quently I also, could not think of the return journey home. A' 
shi]i just then leaving for London, took with her my dried plants,, in 
slKU't everything that had no life in it, while I went once more to Anna 
T\('gina to add to my collection of living palms those that are found so 
plentifully on this portion of coast. With the assistance and kindly 
solicitude of 'my friend Hughes, 40 different species were already plant- 
ed in boxes within a few weeks: they throve splendidly. On this occa- 
sion I learnt by experience that no plant is so sensitive to the exposure 
of its roots as the palm : for unless T drew out the smalT often finger-long 
seedling with the greatest care and mth plenty of earth, it grew no fur- 
tlier: the Euterpe and Guilielma i^peciosa formed the only exceptions. 
966. Several weeks were thus quickly spent in searching for palm 
seedlings and doing other botanical work, and if I still wanted to carry 
out my idea of taking a trip up the Demerara to the Big Falls, and 
making the most of its lianks so rich in orchids, it was now time for me 
to return to Georgetown. The palms that I had planted were handed 
over to the care of my friend Hughes until our departure for Europe. 
967. As Stöckle, immediately after his return from the Pomeroon 
had gone back to business and his expectant wife at Bartika Grove, and 
had accepted a billet as constable at the Penal Settlement he was unable 
to accompany me on my trip as I would very much have wished. 
968. With my coloured men I left Georgetown on April 1st and 
travelled up the lively Demerara. What must immediately strike every 
stranger to the river are the large floating grass-islands which are 
-J 
