R. Schomhurgk, Dr. Phil. 29 
of Torong-Yanwise, wHcIl were mostly planted with, maize, 
the plantations of the cassava being insignificant. 
Torong-Yauwise consisted of half a dozen large huts, 
inhabited by about fifty people, who stood in groups waiting 
for our arrival. 
The men came towards us and shook hands, but the 
women and children kept at a respectable distance, not being 
able to suppress a laugh at our strange appearance. If we 
Europeans were suspicious to them, our negroes were, I 
think, taken for bad spirits, because if they only moved one 
step towards them, the whole of the young inhabitants took 
to flight with all the signs of a panic fear, concealing them- 
selves behind the rocks near the place. 
That fine figures, interesting and agreeable features were a 
scarcity in Torong-Yauwise, we had already observed when 
we received the visitors on the landing-place ; now, as we saw 
all the inhabitants grouped round us, the impression became 
a general fact, indeed, with the exception of the chief and a 
few young men and women, the inhabitants of Torong- 
Yauwise were endowed with the ugliest features I had 
ever met with. There was a remarkable family resemblance, 
which was shown by a certain stupid expression, increased by 
the long uncombed hair hanging round their shoulders. The 
perfection of ugliness was a middle aged man, whose face had 
an angle of scarcely sixty degrees, the profile reminded me 
always of that of a monkey. 
The chief kept his promise, and allowed us to occupy his 
hut, the largest in the village. Our luggage was placed near 
large heaps of maize. Y^e were told that the cassava does 
not grow well in the mountains, wherefore the inhabitants 
were obliged to pay more attention to the cultivation of the 
maize, which grows more luxuriantly. They prepare their 
bread from a mixture of cassava and maize. Yams, sweet 
potatoes, pumpkins, and excellent water melons formed also 
part of their provision ground. 
From the village, w'^e enjoyed the view of one of the most 
enchanting landscapes ; we were now right in the middle of 
the region of mountains. Mountains towered above, moun- 
tains, out of which rose in the north-west, the dome-like 
Zabang, the Olympus of the Macusi tribe, the dwelling^ of 
their Great Spirit, to which the Indians called our attention 
at every possible opportunity. 
In a strictly geographical view, the Pacaraima mountains 
