8 
Botanical Reminiscences. 
pain suffered by the little ones^ not even troubled themselves 
to remove the dirt which surrounded their eyes. 
A prolonged stay amongst this unfortunate people was 
impossible, and we left, having given some presents to the 
sufferers. 
The water of the Barima had now lost its saline taste 
entirely, but the influence of ebb and tide were still perceptible. 
The banks on both sides became higher, and the character of the 
vegetation also altered. The palms disappeared, and only now 
and then we observed a dense group of the prickly Bactris 
acanthocarpa. Amongst the new forms of climbing plants, 
were Aristolochia, Passiflora, and Echites, The large dark 
pink flowers of the last, similar to those of the Oleander, which 
were suspended in festoons by their slender tendrils, were the 
sport of the gentle morning breeze, whilst Echites lucida, 
Boem. and Schidt., with its radiating yellow flowers, as also 
the snow white and remarkably formed flowers of the 
Calyptrion Aubletii, Ging., with the scarlet of the Combretum 
laxum and the tender tinged of the Ehrtella racemosa^ Lam., 
ornamented the rich carpet with the most varied change of 
colors. 
Having passed in the course of the day several small tributaries 
of the Barima, its bed became narrower and more winding, 
so much that our progress was more slowly. The banks in- 
creased in height, and the vegetation became more luxuriant 
until, with the appearance of that gigantic trees of the Mora 
exceUa, Benth., which may be called the oak of the tropics, it 
reached its culmination. There is none of the European 
forest trees which could be paralleled with it as a represen- 
tative. Our large oaks would only seem dwarfs if standing 
near one of these giants, the stem of which is overshadowed 
by the most beautiful dark green foliage. The Indians give 
this noble tree the name of the '' Chief of the Forests,"' and 
this is the most appropriate name which could have been 
chosen. 
W^e were often deceived by these giant trees when we sud- 
denly rounded one of the bends of the river, imagining we 
saw before us in the distance a number of wooded hills, which, 
when^ nearer, changed into single groups of Mora trees, 
towering high above the surrounding vegetation. 
No idea can be formed of a Mora forest; it is so thick that 
the sight of heaven is denied to those who enter it. Every- 
thing is drowned in a mass of shadows ; the eye can only 
