Tue Christmas Pudding, 
227 
(Wecke), the Englishman cannot conceive of one without his plum- 
pudding. Oil leaving Georgetown Mr. Fryer had thoughtfully brought 
along all the ingredients for the dish, but not having yet experienced 
Hamlet’s genius and consequently putting no trust in it, undertook to 
make one himself, a course of action that, forfeited for ever the affections 
of the jealous cook. Hamlet’s contemptuous sniggers betrayed only too 
clearly that he doubted the success of our Christinas pudding, an opinion 
to which lie still stuck even when the mixture, trembling like the most 
delicate jelly, appeared with the remaining dishes upon the table, and 
was eaten amidst the most laudatory opinions of Fryer's culinary skill. 
As our men from Georgetown would have missed their Christmas pudding- 
just as badly as the officers of the expedition, Hamlet could at least show, 
by making one for them, that his knowledge of cooking surpassed Mr. 
Frver's. Now whether he made a mistake somewhere as a result of being 
over anxious, or whether while preparing it, his thoughts had wondered 
down stream to his people in Georgetown where the forsaken mother 
was perhaps just then preparing the holiday dinner for her children, a 
thought that impressed itself so vividly upon the paternal heart as to 
fill his eyes with tears— at any rate, whatever the fault, the men loudly 
complained about its being hard enough to leave a hole if thrown at one’s 
head, all of which made our cook's vexed countenance frown still more 
than before. 
<>98. Next day my brother returned with the captains and boathands 
still required to complete the crews. For navigating the Essequibo, above 
the first rapids and cataracts, one dare only pick the captains amongst 
those living on the river, because they not only accurately know the river- 
bed with its innumerable and truly labyrinthine channels, but also alone 
possess the confidence of all the Indians in the perilous work of navi- 
gating it. The safety of a boat shooting down a cataract in such a 
channel depends wholly and solely upon the fitness of the captain and 
bowman, or leading paddler. Where the surface of the whirlpool is 
peculiarly ruffled the bowman must be able to recognise the depth of 
the rocks covered under water, and with a strong hand give the boat 
another direction when such a hidden enemy escapes the sharp eyes of 
the captain. My brother could not have had a luckier choice than among 
the people living at Bartika Grove. 
009. Immediately after arrival we started distributing our effects 
among the boats. The astronomical and meteorological instruments as well 
as other valuable objects were entrusted to the “Louise,’’ the remaining 
supplies such as meal, rice, ham, butter, sugar, coffee, wine, spirits, and 
the travelling medicine-chest to the “Victoria," and the barrels with salt 
fish, pickled meat, cases of different implements and tools to the two 
little boats: the “Elizabeth" on the Other hand contained my gear for 
preparing the botanical and zoological collections, as well as my small 
boxes with ‘‘trade." Although we had already covered with oilcloth all 
the cases in which these things were enclosed, we nevertheless still spread 
large tarpaulins, i.c., hempen coverings daubed with tar and paint oil, 
over the whole baggage. Still deeming himself none too safe, my brother 
Jiad been scared out of Bartika Grove into the forest the night before 
