CHAPTER V. 
° Splitting up of the Expedition — Return to the lower reaches of the 
Essequibo — Network of natural canals — River Whom ana — Waini — Ob- 
stinacy of the Negroes — Barimani — Beara — Asacota Settlement — Man- 
ners and customs of the Arawaks — Court day — Flora of the Barabara 
— River Morocco— Morocco Mission— Missionary Cullen— Colonies of 
Ants—Mudbanks of the Coast— Mouth of the Pomeroon— A District of 
abandoned estates — Hospital for lepers — Mr. Brett's Mission — Tapacuma 
Lake — Wandering Ants. 
567. Tile visible diminution of our provisions forced us to think 
sooner about our departure than we had intended. The separation of 
tiie healthy from the sick accordingly took place. The latter included 
Mr. King, Hancock, myself, Stöckle, little Florenz, twelve of the boat- 
hands, Caberalli, and, to the great joy of those remaining behind, 
dementi, because these now dared hope to be al>le to sleep of a 
morning: all attempts at breaking the chatterbox of the habit of com- 
mencing his everlasting yarns at two o’clock in the morning, for which 
habit his nickname ‘‘The Cock" had been given, had hitherto proved in 
vain. Maicerwari and the two witnesses had also to accompany Mr. 
King. 
568. As we could not trust our corial on the waves and wild 
weather of the sea we determined to make the return journey by a 
safer route. As I have previously remarked, the Barima immediately be- 
low the mouth of the Warina, is in communication with the Waini, by way 
of the small streams Waburina, Sabaina, Iterite, and Morebo, as well as 
by several natural itabbos: other itabbos junction up the Waini with 
the Morocco which empties itself into the sea close to the mouth of the 
Pomeroon. When one enters the Pomeroon a similar network of itabbos 
carries the traveller into the Essequibo. This route was apparently the 
most suitable and was chosen by us for more reasons than one. My 
brother furthermore commissioned me to travel up the Essequibo as far 
as Bartika Grove, and from there send him a corial with provisions to the 
Cuyuni, since our small stock made us afraid that his- party might run 
short of food. On the evening before taking our departure the Manari 
villagers again gave our Indian boat-hands a small drink party, at 
which the Warraus were so overcome that force had to be used to get 
them out of their hammocks in the morning. My captain (steersman) 
was nowhere to be found, and only after a long search did one of the 
women find him lying senseless in the grass. As all attempts to make 
him stand up failed. I had to have him carried to the corial, where he 
Continued in his comatose condition until evening, and on awakening 
was not a little astonished to find himself once more in his boat in the 
middle of the stream. 
569. We were carried with tearing rapidity down towards the 
Barima, which soon enclosed us within the giant growth of vegetation 
along its banks. In spite of the current speeding almost as fast as an 
arr,ow, not a living thing in the dark foliage escaped the keen sight of 
