284 
Ä Giant Fresh- Water Fish. 
the host also receives. The same thing happens with the others, who 
make the same declaration at first to the visiting chief and then to tha 
remainder participating, according to their, status and age. If, however, 
one of the guests during the gathering, is forced to go outside, he will be 
welcomed on his return just as if he Avere only come for the first time. 
805. The conversation was generally carried on in a sing-song, one 
might almost say, plaintive tone and the acquiescence in the credibility 
of, and astonishment at, the narrator was expressed by the repetition of 
the last Avords with the addition of “Na” or “Wa.”“' The younger 
Indians constitute only the audience, and although they have heard the 
tiling twenty times already, make believe that they are extremely 
astonished at what is said. The departure is accompanied by the 
same ceremonial. 
806. Though such a scene offers so little variety, it is by no means 
uninteresting, and I have always been glad to see and hear their saluta- 
tion ceremony and talk-talk, particularly as they are the exact reverse 
of our European pour-parlers, for over here one encourages the speaker 
at most with a “Wa” or ‘‘Na” or “Una,” but never interrupts him. The 
adventures of the chase, and fishery, and their travels are naturally the 
main subjects of conversation when they will correctly define each place 
and tree where they caught this or that game, and this or that fish, or 
where they built their benabs, etc. 
807. Next morning the Indians brought us, besides a number of 
other fish, the fresh-Avater giant of Guiana, the Sudis gigas Cuv., the 
Arapaima of the Macusis. We gazed in astonishment at the huge 
monster that almost filled the whole of the corial, measured perhaps 
eight feet, and certainly ran up to 200 lbs. in Aveight: among the rivers 
of British Guiana, the Rupununi is the only one that possesses it, and in 
considerable quantities, too. In the Rio Branco, Rio Negro and Amazon 
it is said to be also fairly plentiful. The Arapaima is both caught as Avell 
Avith the hook, as killed with the bow and arrow ; in the latter case, its 
capture is undoubtedly one of the most interesting and liveliest of the 
fisher’s art, for several corials generally take part in it and distribute 
themselves over the water. As the fish is recognised, the signal is given. 
The corial with the best shots noiselessly makes its way up to within 
shooting distance, the arrow flies from the string, and both it and fish 
disappear. Now they all join in the hunt, and the arrow’s feathered end 
hardly appears aboA T e the surface again before everyone’s bow is on the 
stretch : the fish is seen and stuck Avith a new lot of arrows, passes out of 
sight, to allow itself to be recognised again within a shorter interval and 
so receiving fresh charges, at last falls a prey to the hunters. It is now 
floated to a shalloAV spot, the corial that has been filled with water, and 
pushed underneath, is then bailed out, and the monster brought in 
triumph to the settlement. The fish has one of the most variegated scaly 
cuirasses imaginable, for not only the scalas, but also the fins differ in 
colour and shine in the most varied shades of dark grey, red, and 
carmine. Although very tasty it is not eaten by the Macusis, but is 
relished all the more by the Caribs. 
* Na is the Macusi affirmative : Wa, amongst other meanings, expresses something of 
the idea of “ Right ! O !” (Ed.) 
