07 
R. Schomburgk^ Dr. Phil. 
In consequence of tlie darkness wkich frequently prevails 
when thick clouds hover about the summit, it is likewise 
called The night mountain/' and the Indian songs in the 
neighborhood of the Roraima contain generally the following 
strophes — '^Roraima, the red rock wrapped in clouds, the 
ever fertile source of streams/' or ^‘Roraima, the red rock, 
I sing, where at daybreak night still prevails." The origin 
of this abundance of water can only be explained by the 
circumstance that the precipitation of atmospheric vapour 
is much promoted by those cold and high mural precipices, 
local peculiarity, and among these the thick forests, which 
towards the north extend from the foot of these mountains 
to the coast of the Atlantic, where large savannas spread to 
the south, may in many respects contribute to the increase 
of aqueous vapours. We proceeded with all possible haste 
across a Bay of Biscay" ground, which was divided by a 
number of rivulets, tributaries of the Kukenam, which were 
bordered by a vegetation quite new to me, and which showed 
the luxuriancy and vigor of the tropical climate ; but a 
hundred yards away from the banks the growth of shrubs 
was rather stunted. Our eyes were only attracted towards 
Roraima, and we took but little notice of anything else before 
or near us. 
At last we arrived at the base of it, and began to ascend 
on a place where the rocks were fewer and vegetation less 
thick, between colossal, blackish, sandstone rocks, of fantastic 
shapes. The higher we ascended the more beautiful and sur- 
prising became the somewhat stunted vegetation — the soil and 
surrounding sandstone being black. On the latter, where 
the least soil had been collected in its crevices, Clusias, 
Myricas, OauUherias, and Thibaudias ; in the crevices the fine 
Meisneria cordifoUa, Benth., w^as luxuriating. The rocks, bare 
of soil, were covered with Agaves^ Cacti, Gesnerias, Orchids, 
Algae, and Mosses, We had reached half way to the base of 
the stone wall, when those masses of mist, which now appeared 
only on the summits, came lower and lower, and we v/ere 
soon enveloped in it, and prevented from seeing more than 
six or eight paces before us. The mist changed into a 
burst of clouds, and in less than half an hour the descending 
rain reached several inches ; we were thus rendered incapable 
of proceeding any further. Trembling with cold and ex- 
posed to the pouring rain, we tried to pitch our tents as 
quickly as possible, and to make a fire to warm ourselves ; 
