The Dying Indian Boy, 
25 2 
figures interlacing witli one another were here entirely waiting: in their 
place a number of crude pictures of snakes, crocodiles, suns, moon, and 
stars covered the surface which was unfortunately already much 
weathered. 
742. As it perhaps might be interesting for many of my readers to 
possess a faithful copy of this picture writing, I have subjoined some of 
the figures from Waraputa Fall (p. 249.) 
743. The vegetation of the islands almost generally consisted of 
Psidium, Eugenia , Inga , and Mimosa. Here also the granite rocks 
showed that black glassy covering and were astonishingly often veined 
with quartz. 
744. Shortly before our arrival in Waraputa a number of Macusi 
Indian strangers had landed at the Mission on their way to Georgetown 
where they wanted to exchange the fruits of their la Dour for other 
articles. Amongst them was to be seen a poor boy of from ten to 
twelve years of age who was suffering from dropsy in its most advanced 
stage: as his condition was hourly becoming worse it was necessary for 
the party to await here its fatal termination which took place four days 
later. Kanaima was, of course, responsible for the death. In the 
demonology of the Macusis, Akawais, Wapisianas, and Arekunas, this 
kanaima plays quite a peculiar part. It appears to be not only the 
personified desire of man's revenge but in general the author and source 
of all evil, yet without developing into a distinct individual Evil Spirit — 
to put it shortly, it is a Proteus without definite shape and fixed concep- 
tion. In spite of our long stay with the Macusis, amongst whom this 
religious belief is found most cultivated, we did not succeed in getting a 
clear insight into this kanaima, since he is represented both as an evil 
invisible, demoniacal essence and also in many cases as an individual 
personality, though always in the nature of the avenger of known or 
unknown wrongs. Who and what Kanaima is they could never tell us, 
but they explained every death as his effect, his doing. Out of all the 
confused conceptions, this much seemed to me to stand out clear that 
the manner and method ky which the Indian satisfies his revenge — for he 
never approaches his transgressor face to face, but seeks to overcome 
him by ambush, and satisfy his vengeance by guile — is the chief 
creative cause of this delusive belief in kanaima which, like an oppressive 
nightmare, everlastingly pursues his every act and deed, makes him bar 
the door at the day’s close, and induces him to believe that he recognises 
its presence in every unusual noise of the night. I have already men- 
tioned among the Warraus the thirst for revenge that often rules the 
Indian and drives him mad as soon as he considers himself injured in 
his honour or in his wife: a passion that is not quelled until satisfied by 
the death of the offender, even by the extermination of his whole family. 
As I also mentioned, the one who seeks revenge does not come out into 
the open but springs warily yet unfailingly from out of hiding upon his 
victim, just when the latter imagines himself most secure. Every poison, 
except arrow-poison, is kanaima, a name that is likewise applied to 
every Indian against whom it is known that a wrong has been done. 
Wassy is especially included amongst the poisons that prove most 
