110 
Characteristics of jhe Sloth, 
377. As in the case with the Waini sandbank the empty water bar- 
rels, in spite of all the measures taken to supply the daily loss as far as 
possible with rain water, forced ns to think about returning to Cum- 
aka. On the 19th May the survey of the mouth of the Barima was 
completed. It offers the same obstacle to navigation at its mouth as 
does the Waini. If this were overcome, one finds, equally free, as far 
us the branching off of the Aruka, the safest waterway for vessels of 
from 250-300 tons burden. Our camp was found to be situate 
8°3(i" Lat.X. and 60°18" Long.W. 
378. Having already on the above date again packed our baggage 
in the corials, we struck camp on the 20th and fixed up our poor friend 
in tin* biggest boat as comfortably as circumstances permitted. He 
was still totally blind while the burns had largely suppurated whereby 
his sufferings seemed to have been considerably relieved. With com- 
mencing flood, we left the month of the Barima and that of the mighty 
Orinoco: of the latter I had unfortunately seen nothing except its 
tranquil streaming waters, and in clear weather on the horizon, a few 
green islands or a distant sail which, like a seagull, bore away into the 
dim distance. 
370. The incoming flood carried us quickly and uninterruptedly 
past the islands and their active life floating up the stream, back along 
the old course until tin» turn of the tide forced us to stop and wait for 
the favourable flood which brought us back next day to Cumaka quite 
safe though in an absolutely different state of mind than when we left 
it. Shortly before our arrival prior to heading out of the Barima into 
The Cumaka, one of our Indians noticed a sloth ( Bradypus tridactylus) 
upon the prominent roots of a Rhizophora, that probably after either 
quenching its thirst or swimming across the river was now resting from 
its strenuous labours. With a melancholy and piteous look, as if it wished 
to say “Have pity on me,” it let us surround and seize it. It was cer- 
tainly easier to do this than to release it from the root-branches to 
which it clung with all its might. It was only after tying both its fore- 
feet, its sole but extremely dangerous weapons of defence, the wounds 
from which are said to assume the worst of characters, that the united 
efforts of three Indians using all their strength succeeded in loosening 
it. In all natural history books old and recent, it is said that the 
sloth is the laziest and most indolent of creatures, and that the most 
urgent pangs of hunger will hardly force it to leave a tree until long 
after the smallest little leaf has been consumed, slanders that have been 
spread about no animal more wrongfully than this one. To be sure 
the whole build of its body is such that the creature every time plays 
a miserable role on level ground. If the latter is in any way smooth, 
its efforts to progress remain futile, and pity must be awakened even 
in the most unfeeling person when he sees the poor creature lying flat 
on the ground with both fore-paws searching all directions in vain for 
a hold. When it does finally clutch upon a point of support with the 
long sharp incurved claws of the one fore-foot it quickly stretches the 
other one after it and then with difficulty drags its whole body along, for 
the limbs are not able to earrv it. Tf on the other hand one finds the animal 
on a tree, lie hardly recognises it again, on seeing it swing with ease 
