The Indians Satisfy Their Curiosity. 
$18 
unobserved, our quarters were nevertheless surrounded by regular 
groups of them for hours at a time as soon as we started eating, writing, 
or reading. At the first of these occupations we must have seemed 
greater cannibals than they to us. With chaffing faces, continually 
making funny remarks, and laughing heartily, they criticised not only 
our actions and viands from a distance, but many of the women stepped 
with absolute self-possession up to the table, put their hand in a dish, 
seized a bit of meat, smelt it, threw it back again, and then spat 
contemptuously. We were absolutely certain of such unbidden and 
unceremonious visitors when the table was provided with pickled meat, 
to which they showed such an antipathy that they even held their noses 
on entering the house; this was a good hint never to let it be missing 
from the menu. They had a similar aversion to sour dishes. Though they 
regarded us with pitiful disdain when eating, they were all the more awed 
and astonished at the reading and writing. They looked upon every printed 
or written word as something supernatural and followed the eyes of the 
person reading with the keenest tension, they being firmly convinced 
that the page betrays their own most hidden thoughts to the reader. An 
accidental find of a piece of paper proved the greatest treasure for them 
and in none of the lessons had Youd so many and such studious pupils as 
in the writing and reading hour. 
886. The savannah was now my daily abode: in all directions I 
roamed the forest oases which particularly afforded rich botanical and 
zoological results. Though a number of representatives were missing 
from the higher orders, because these were only represented by deer, I 
found the insects not only much more abundant but also representative of 
families and species absolutely different from those on the coa&t. Amongst 
Lepidoptera, the Diurna and Nocturna were far more plentiful here than 
there; on the other hand I found but a few Crepuscularia. . Amongst 
Coleoptcra the families Biiprcstidae, Bcarabacidae, Ccrantbicidae, the 
Gurculionidae which were loudly effecting the destruction of the mighty 
trees, and Ghrysomelidae rendered themselves conspicuous: amongst 
Hcmiptera the sub-order Jlomoptera was more numerously represented 
in the Gicadidae. 
S87. As my present stay happened to strike the dry season of the 
year 1 was in a position to explore without let or hindrance not only 
the low-lying savannah but also the greater portion of the dried-up basin 
of lake Amucu, on the tall reed and sedge-like grasses of which the marks 
of the water level during the rainy season could be distinctly traced. The 
ground was regularly strewn with the empty shells of Ampullaria 
gnianensis and papyracea Spix. Innumerable Caracara eagles, swarms 
of waders ( Gharadrius cayennensis) , and large grey Ibis ( Ibis albicollis 
Lath.) with their peculiar cry rending the air in all directions, as well as 
Sturnella Ludoviciana Bonap., put life into these spots now devoid of 
water. But where swamps were occasionally found with plenty of water 
and bordered by Galadium and broad-leafed sedge they vividly called 
back to mind the animated scene at the mouth of the Waini and Barima. 
Though the brilliant plumage of the red ibis, spoon-bill and flamingo 
were wanting, the sight of the huge waders was none the less imposing. 
