The Military Expedition. 
221 
25 to 30 feet long, had still to be bought. 1 was also forced to get the 
sides of mine raised, for which 1 of course had to pay the monstrous price 
of 81 dollars. 
686. After the small squadron of five ships, with the national 
colours neatly painted on, was launched, the corials were christened : my 
brother called the largest one ‘‘Louise,” mine I named “Elizabeth.” The 
largest portion of our former boathands were signed on afresh as 
paddlers; Stöckle likewise performed duty again and brought along 
another three Germans who offered their services, and even Hamlet left 
my brother no peace until he once more installed him as cook. It thus 
came to pass that we hired a portion of the boats’ crews even before the 
AVaikas and Warraus whom Caberalli promised to supply had put in an 
appearance: it was these upon whom we mostly depended because they 
are undoubtedly the best pullers. Unfortunately, however, the number we 
wanted never ariived and, except the captains (steersmen) whom my 
brother had already picked from among the coloured people on the 
Essequibo, the paddlers still missing had to be replaced. Each coloured 
puller received monthly 15 dollars, each captain 20, and each Indian 6, 
for all of whom my brother had still to lind their board: this consisted 
of rice, salt fish, pickled meat, biscuit, and two glasses of rum together 
with a fixed quantity of tobacco daily. Forty-one persons, however, 
required a considerable quantity of provisions, which could not be pro- 
cured so quickly. Eight of the most useful and serviceable of the lot 
were signed on for two years with the expedition :' the remainder had only 
to take us as far as the Macusi settlement, Pirara. When the boxes 
and barrels of provisions, the numerous trunks and packages containing 
“trade” for the Indians whom my brother thought of engaging amongst 
the different interior tribes, came to be reckoned up, one can imagine how 
heavily our five boats were freighted when finally ready to leave. And 
yet our preparations were as nothing compared with those of the army 
of conquest for whose transport nine big vessels were built which, in 
addition to the detachment, had also to carry four months’ provisions for 
Pirara. As the soldiers were not engaged to serve as boathands, 121) 
paddlers had to be taken on : each soldier and boathand received a daily 
ration of -I lb. salt meat with rice and biscuit, besides a certain measure 
of rum and a fixed quantity of sugar. 
687. In spite of being thus busily occupied, consequent on our de- 
parture that was drawing so nigh, we had nevertheless not forgotten 
poor Maicerwari and never let a week pass without paying him a visit 
at the jail, the strict confinement of which he had unfortunately brought 
upon himself. It seems that both he and the witnesses on their arrival 
in Georgetown had been subjected to light custody only, but unable to 
bear even this restriction, had seized the first suitable opportunity of 
returning to Cumaka. Their escape naturally rendered their confine- 
ment more severe, and after being brought back Maicerwari had been 
locked into a narrow cell. Notwithstanding that my brother had 
solemnly sworn that Cumaka was situate in disputed territory and could 
be claimed just as much by Venezuela as by England, yet the authorities 
wanted to bring the poor boy up for trial at the next Criminal Sessions 
