396 EiREwooD Trade in Negro Hands. 
It is the Demeiara at all <'veuts, with its very laige number of yards, 
that supplies GeorgetoA\n not only with the timber for construction 
purposes, but also with the firewood required in the household. Owing 
to the immediate environs of the city not i:>ossessing any forests, and 
communication with it by vehicular traftic not being feasible, firewood 
forms an important article of trade Avhich is carried on exclusively by 
the Is\'groes : on account of their Aveight the timbers cannot be brought 
doAvn the river in rafts, but in large punts. 
991. The owner of a timber-yard Avhere we spent the night, had 
a tame tapir, apparently full-grown, that strolled about as it pleased, 
spent the day in the forest, and at night-fall returned to its master. 
992. On continuing our journey next morning Ave saw two coloured 
men in front of their house busily engaged in skinning a puma that had 
been killed the night before. It Avas the largest specimen I had as yet 
seen, but in order to get liold of the canine teeth the Avhole head had 
been unfortunately damaged. 
993. At nightfall we landed at Avhat Avas once an extensive wood 
establishment Avith a saAv-mill, that could be driven both by steam as 
well as by Avatev-i»ower. Avhere the oAvner, a Negro, gave us a friendly 
A\( lcouie.* Ou account of tlie small Avorkiug capital the mill had 
coinidetely gone to ruin and remained unused. Here again the rise and 
fall of the tide still amounted to 8 to 10 feet. In the course of the day 
wo ]iassed the mouths of a number of creeks, thus on the left bank tliose 
of the Yaruni and Tenl)0u. on the right bauk those of the ( "aicruuiy and 
Oritaja. 
994. Although from noAV on the Avidth of the river continued to 
diuiiuish, its l)anks proved more and more interesting with every stroke 
of the paddle: this was due in large measure to the series of hills on its 
Avestern bank Avhieh in some places, they Avere in direct contact with, 
while in others they only joined it at a gentle slope. 
995. Amsterdam Avith its hoTises on the left or Avestern shore, form- 
erly a plantation, now a small negro settlement, bore a pleasant aspect 
froui in among the rank foliage. The terrain rose again to 200 feet. A 
few miles beyond, close in shore on our right, Avas a small rise 80 feet 
in height that bore the name Golden Hill, the top of which Avas capped 
with an Arawak settlement: at its l äse a small forest creek opens into 
the main stream. During the course of the day Ave passed, on the left 
l)ank, the mouths of the small creeks Camequear and Arobeya. 
99G. The site of the settlement was so inviting that I proposed 
spending a few d.ays here Avhere my Avishes Avere just as friendly reci- 
procated by the residents. That the proximity to the city had not failed 
to exert its influence Avas evident as soon as I entered, because men as 
well as women wore clothes, yes, even the children, at least the little boys 
and girls did so too. In spite of these visible signs of ciAdlisation the 
Piai of the place, during the night, carried on his nefarious business with 
a sick Avoman. I was thus aff(U-ded the opportunity of learning many 
a thing more about this dangerous personality and his power which up 
* This was prohaljly Nerva.— A" R 
t The present Kairiini or Elizabeth freek.— V.R. 
