14 
Entering the DemErArI. 
God” on the part of the passengers proved their greeting to the New 
Continent. All the ship’s telescopes were fetched up, and quickly handed 
from one to (he other. The continuous fresh breeze that was speeding us to 
our destination, gradually seatterd the envious morning mist, and the 
several outlines of the shore became gradually more distinct, until finally 
t lie coast itself, covered with thick masses of foliage, appeared sharply 
defined. The crowds of birds that had been previously noticed in the 
distance were already swarming around our vessel in cheery clamour: 
amongst them the beautiful Frigate-bird ( Tachypetes aquila Vieill.) 
apparently wanted to choose a perch on the highest top of our Cleopatra. 
55. It was only to-day that we reluctantly answered the clear sum- 
mons of the mid-day bell that called us for the last time to table 
where Captain Rothwell, in spite of the liveliest remonstrances of his 
wife, surrendered as best he could the last remnants of his champagne 
which was nevertheless drunk with the liveliest enjoyment. Our impa- 
tience did not allow of us staying long below, and we quickly gathered 
oin deck once more. We had approached the coast so 
closely in the interval that, without glasses, we could 
not only see the proud palms rising above the dense foliage, 
but also the peculiarly constructed lightship Avliich, with its far-reach- 
ing beacon serves to guide in coming vessels at night: the vessel at the 
same time constitutes the Station where every over-sea ship must 
pick up a pilot, because, without one, (lie entrance into the Demerara 
mouth would prove fairly dangerous. About four miles out to sea and 
stretching across the mouth there is a large sand-and-mud bar with only 
two channels of which one is 9 feet deep at half flood, and the other (the 
eastern) 19 feet at high flood, so that no vessel that draws more than 18 
feet can cross it. Once the channel is passed and the mouth of the 
Demerara reached, the River itself affords the safest and most conven- 
ient harbour that could hold the whole combined fleet of Great Britain. 
The arrival of every ship is signalled from (lie Lightship to the Light- 
house in the City. As soon as eve came in line with the Lightship, a 
row-boat came off with the pilot, a coloured man, who now took over 
unlimited command, so that Captain Rothwell for once in a way was 
given a rest- The negro pullers were naturally enough regarded by us 
new-comers with curiosity. 
50. With the dangerous bank soon astern, we shortly afterwards 
ran into the 1 mile wide estuary of the Demerara. The land I had yearn- 
ed and longed for, the land of fairy fancy, of blood and terror, of the 
most effulgent hope and expectation for the people of Europe, the land 
where the dignity of man has been trampled under foot so long, but 
where now is risen a modern era which is already illumining the distant 
Future with its initial brilliance — the American continent stretched 
out before me. 
57. A number of boats, fishing-smacks, sloops with three-cornered sails, 
schooners, even two barques that had passed the channel shortly before 
us, were forging their way in a motley throng towards the mouth, while 
the dense tropical vegetation with which Georgetown or Demerara was 
regularly veiled, prevented us from satisfying our inquisitive gaze: 
we could only see the majestic Lighthouse with its proud summit and 
the gaily flying flag through the enveloping cover, and then follow the 
